"I was a voluntary prisoner," answered the detective. He had put his neck in the noose and must bear the strangling as cheerfully as possible.
"For what purpose?"
"A professional one."
"You were there to win the confidence of the accused and extort a confession of guilt from him if possible?"
"Yes, sir."
"Did you succeed?"
"Owing to the cleverness of the prisoner and his having been forewarned, I failed."
"Not owing to the fact that he is innocent, you think?"
"I think not."
Shagarach seemed satisfied not to press this further and asked for the blotter, which was in the foreman's hand.