“Now then, my man, if you’ve had enough of this tomfoolery we’ll finish the business. You don’t want to be hung for murder, do you?”

He could in imagination visualise the figure at the top craning forward with ready weapon striving to pierce the darkness below. He instinctively braced himself for a shot.

A thick voice answered him. “You go away. Don’t drive me too far. I don’t want to do anybody any harm, but I won’t be took.”

It was something gained, at any rate, that the other had hesitated to shoot. That lonely vigil at the top of the darkened stairs had either sobered him or shaken his nerve. The inspector slowly wormed himself a step higher.