"How did you know?"
"If I had he'd have been where I left him; he wouldn't have got up and walked away."
"It didn't occur to you that what you had done to him that night had anything to do with his disappearance?"
"I don't know what you mean."
"You didn't think it advisable, or necessary, to come forward and throw some sort of light on what seemed an insoluble mystery by telling your story of what took place that night?"
"I wished to avoid a scandal."
"What a thoughtful man you are, Mr. Dodwell! It did not occur to you, I suppose, that if you did tell your story you'd be in the hands of the police immediately after--that had nothing to do with your silence?"
Anthony Dodwell was silent. Clifford, who seemed to be taking on himself the office of examiner-in-chief, put a question to Draycott:
"How came Beaton to be at Avonham that night? Was he an invited guest?"
"That I cannot tell you; I only know it was lucky for me that he was there."