During the latter part of the conversation Superintendent Galloway walked to the open window, and looked out.

He turned round swiftly, with a look of unusual animation on his heavy features, and exclaimed: "The murderer entered through the window." The others went over to the window.

The inn on that side had been built into a small hill of beehive shape, which had been partly levelled to make way for the foundations.

Seen from outside, the inn, with its back to the sea and a corner of its front entering the hillside, bore a remote resemblance to some nakedly ugly animal with its nose burrowed into the earth.

Part of the bar was actually underground, and the windows of the rooms immediately above looked out on the hillside.