“It was after dinner, sir. I was in the dining-room. The second man was with me cleaning up. On the floor under the table he found a necklace. I took it in through the hall to the drawing-room. Mrs. Annandale was there with Mr. Annandale. When I was just at the door I heard him say, ‘I’ll kill Loftus.’ I went in and gave him the necklace.”
“But why?” Mr. Digby interrupted. “What was he going to kill him for? What was the motive?”
“ Mr. Loftus had just gone, sir. He had been dining with us. He and several others.”
“Well?”
“Well, sir, when I was in the hall I heard Mrs. Annandale say as how she wanted a divorce.”
“Aha!” exclaimed Mr. Digby. “The plot thickens. Was she in love with Loftus?”
“She was that, sir. Anyone could see it.”
“Then what?”
“ Mr. Annandale went upstairs, came down again and went out.”
“Did you attach any importance to his going upstairs?”
“He went to get his pistol, sir.”
“Oho! He had a pistol, had he?”
“Yes, sir. A 32-calibre. I bought it for him myself.”
“That is a very good story,” said Mr. Digby, who was a judge.