“It wasn’t strung like that as a rule, I suppose?”
“I’m not sure. But it wasn’t where it is now. Miss Mount says it was slung over the back. She ran in here only a minute or two after Mr. Harrison was shot. She noticed then that it had been moved.”
“Who’s Miss Mount?” inquired Bernard.
“She used to be governess to Mr. Harrison’s two daughters. Now she’s hostess, chaperon and housekeeper, so to speak. She was in the reception-room with Susan when Mr. Harrison fell.”
“Did anyone,” Landis asked, “keep an eye on the bow after Harrison was shot and before the police arrived?”
Graham nodded doubtfully.
“Part of the time. I didn’t get downstairs until eight or ten minutes after Mr. Harrison was murdered. I came in here almost at once and phoned for the doctor and the police from that big desk. While I was sitting there Miss Mount came in and showed me the bow and told me it had been moved. From the desk I could see the bow in one direction and, by turning my head, keep an eye on Mr. Harrison’s body through the doorway. I sat there until the sergeant and the other policeman arrived. There was nobody in the room when I got here. No one who came in after that went near either end of the room up to the time the sergeant took over the job of watching.”
“Barring the doctor,” Sergeant Forbes volunteered, “there’s been nobody in this room since I came.”
“Thanks!” said Landis pleasantly.