“Really, sir!” he exclaimed, “this is too much! Have I come here, at great personal inconvenience, to hear you read the inventory of a dust-heap?”

Thorndyke smiled benevolently and caught my eye, once more, with a gleam of amusement.

“Sit down, Mr. Winwood,” he said quietly. “You came here to learn the facts of the case, and I am giving them to you. Please don’t interrupt needlessly and waste time.”

Winwood stared at him ferociously for several seconds; then, somewhat disconcerted by the unruffled calm of his manner, he uttered a snort of defiance, sat down heavily and shut himself up again.