He came downstairs with a smile on his face and the message that the
inspector would be pleased to see Mrs. Holymead. In his brief interview
with his superior he had contrived to convey the unofficial information
that Mrs. Holymead was a fine-looking woman, and he had no doubt that
Inspector Chippenfield's readiness to see her was due to the impression
this information had made on his unofficial feelings.

Mrs. Holymead was conducted upstairs and announced by the butler.
Inspector Chippenfield greeted her with a low bow of conscious
inferiority, and anticipated Hill in placing a chair for her. His large
red face went a deeper scarlet in colour as he looked at her.

"Flack tells me that you are a friend of the family, Mrs. Holymead.
What is it that I can do for you? I need scarcely say, Mrs. Holymead,
that your distinguished husband is well known to us all. I have had
the pleasure of being cross-examined by him on several occasions.
Anything you wish to know I'll be pleased to tell you, if it lies
within my power."

"Thank you," said Mrs. Holymead.

She seemed to be slightly nervous in the presence of a member of the
Scotland Yard police, in spite of his obvious humility in the company of
a fashionable lady who belonged to a different social world from that in
which police inspectors moved. It took Inspector Chippenfield some
minutes to discover that the object of Mrs. Holymead's visit was to learn
some of the details of the tragedy. As one who had known the murdered man
for several years, and the wife of his intimate friend, she was
overwhelmed by the awful tragedy. She endeavoured to explain that the