"Why, Mr.Thresk, did you wait till the very moment when Mrs.Ballantyne was going to be definitely committed to a particular line of defence before you announced that you could clear up the mystery?
Doesn't it rather look as if you had remained hidden on the chance of the prosecution breaking down, and had only come forward when you realised that to-morrow self-defence would be pleaded, the firing of that rook-rifle admitted and a terrible risk of a verdict of guilty run ?" Thresk agreed without a moment's hesitation.
"But that's the truth, Mr.Pettifer," he said, and Mr.Pettifer sprang up.
"What ?" "Consider my position"-- Thresk drew up his chair close to the table--"a barrister who was beginning to have one of the large practices, the Courts opening in London, briefs awaiting me, cases on which I had already advised coming on.

I had already lost a fortnight.

That was bad enough, but if I came forward with my story I must wait in Bombay not merely for a fortnight but until the whole trial was completed, as in the end I had to do.

Of course I hoped that the prosecution would break down.
Of course I didn't intervene until it was absolutely necessary in the interests of justice that I should." He spoke so calmly, there was so much reason in what he said, that Pettifer could not but be convinced.
"I see," he said.

"I see.Yes.