Can you give us the exact hour when you returned home ?" "I happened to note by the clock on the mantelpiece that I came in at 11:35." Winter compared the clock's time with his watch.
"You had been to a theater ?" he said.
"Yes--Daly's." "It was raining heavily.

Did you take a cab ?" "Yes." "Were you delayed?
The piece ended at 11:05." "My cab met with a slight accident." "What sort of accident ?" Theydon explained.
"In all likelihood you can discover the driver," he smiled, "and he will establish my alibi." His tone seemed to annoy Furneaux, who broke in: "Don't you write novels ?" "Yes." "Sensational ?" "Occasionally." "Then you ought to be tickled to death, as the Americans say, at being mixed up in a first-rate murder.

This is no ordinary crime.

Several people will be older and wiser before the culprit is found and hanged." "What Mr.Furneaux has in mind," purred Winter cheerfully, "is the curious habit of some witnesses when questioned by the police.

They arm themselves against attack, as it were.