“I understand,” he said sharply. “After wounding and disabling Mr. Thesiger, the man took to his heels and ran, throwing away the pistol as he did so. What I cannot understand is why no one pursued him.”

“It wasn’t till we heard Mr. Thesiger’s story that we knew there was anyone to pursue,” remarked Superintendent Battle dryly.

“You didn’t⁠—er⁠—catch sight of him making off as you turned the corner of the terrace?”

“No, I missed him by just about forty seconds, I should say. There’s no moon and he’d be invisible as soon as he’d left the terrace. He must have leapt for it as soon as he’d fired the shot.”

“H’m,” said Sir Oswald. “I still think that a search should have been organised. Someone else should have been posted⁠—”