Pettifer might well find some weak point in his story which he himself had not discovered; and whatever course he was minded afterwards to take, here and now he was determined once more to fight Stella's battle.
"I need not go back on the facts of the trial," said Pettifer.

"They are fresh enough in your memory, no doubt.

Your theory as I understand it ran as follows: While you were mounting your camel on the edge of the camp to return to the station and Ballantyne was at your side, the thief whose arm you had both seen under the tent wall, not knowing that now you had the photograph of Bahadur Salak which he wished to steal, slipped into the tent unperceived, took up the rook-rifle--" "Which was standing by Mrs.Ballantyne's writing-table," Thresk interposed.
"Loaded it,--" "The cartridges were lying open in a drawer." "And shot Ballantyne on his return." "Yes," Thresk agreed.

"In addition you must remember that when Captain Ballantyne was found an hour or so later Mrs.Ballantyne was in bed and asleep." "Quite so," said Pettifer.

"In brief, Mr.Thresk, you supplied a reasonable motive for the crime and some evidence of a criminal.