There was no accounting for Paredes's daring, he told himself, no accounting for his easy gesture now as he drew again at his cigarette and tossed it in the fireplace.
"These gentlemen," he said, "have been asking just that question. I'm honoured. I had no idea my movements were of such interest. I've told them that I took a stroll. The night was over. There was no point in going to bed, and all day I had been without exercise."
"Yet," Graham said harshly, "you have had practically no sleep since you came here."
Paredes nodded.
"Very distressing, isn't it?"
"Maybe," Rawlins sneered, "you'll tell us why you went on tiptoe, and I suppose you didn't hear a woman crying in the woods?"
"That's just it," Paredes answered. "I did hear something like that, and it occurred to me to follow such a curious sound. So I went on tiptoe, as you call it."
"Why," Robinson exclaimed angrily, "you walked in the lake to hide your tracks!"
Paredes smiled.
"It was very dark. That was chance. Quite silly of me. My feet got wet."