He came and stood over the body. “Been moved at all?” he asked sharply.

“Beyond making certain that life was extinct⁠—an easy matter⁠—I have not disturbed the body in any way.”

“Ah! And everything points to the murderer having got clear away⁠—for the moment, that is. Now then, let me hear all about it. Who found the body?”

I explained the circumstances carefully.

“A telephone message, you say? From the butler?”

“A message that I never sent,” declared Parker earnestly. “I’ve not been near the telephone the whole evening. The others can bear me out that I haven’t.”

“Very odd, that. Did it sound like Parker’s voice, doctor?”

“Well⁠—I can’t say I noticed. I took it for granted, you see.”