THE WITNESS The afternoon sunlight poured into the room golden and clear.

Outside the open windows the garden was noisy with birds and the river babbled between its banks.

Henry Thresk shut his ears against the music.

For all his appearance of ease he dreaded the encounter which was now begun.
Pettifer he knew to be a shrewd man.

He watched him methodically arranging his press-cuttings in front of him.