However, he told me his version of the story, exactly as he had told it at his trial.
"Do you remember meeting Mrs. Gilson?" I asked.
"Not particularly."
"You didn't stop and ask her the way?"
"No. I met two or three people on the way to the farm. They didn't interest me, and I had no reason to suppose that I interested them."
"Why did you deny knowing anything about Cross Roads Farm?"
"Well, one way and another there was a good deal against me at the time. It was natural to deny a leading statement like that made by the police, and I knew nothing about the murder then. You see, although I was innocent of murder, I wasn't an innocent man. I was in a hole, and attempted to lie myself out of it."
"Very foolish! It was a weighty argument against you. Did you see anyone else at the farm beside your uncles?"
"It was true what I said at the trial, that one of the workmen had just finished talking to my uncles at the door as I came in. The man gave evidence, said he had parted with the Judds much as I described, but that he had not seen me. I thought he said that to try and help me a bit, because I'm certain he saw me."
"Do you think it was the same man?"