The innkeeper explained that the murdered man had been the sole occupant of that wing of the house until the previous night, when Mr.Ronald had occupied the room next to him.
At this end of the passage another and narrower passage ran at right angles from it along the back of the house, with several rooms opening off it on one side only.

The first of these rooms was empty; the next room contained a small iron bedstead, a chair, and a table, and the innkeeper said that it was his bedroom.

At the next door he paused, and turning to Mr.Cromering hesitatingly remarked: "This is my mother's room, sir.

She is an invalid." "We will not disturb your mother, we will merely glance into the room," said the kindly chief constable.
"It is not that, sir.

She is----" He broke off abruptly, and knocked at the door.
After a few moments' pause there was the sound of somebody within turning a key in the lock, then the door was opened by a young girl, who, at the sight of the visitors, walked hurriedly across to a bedstead at the far end of the room, on which something grey was moving, and stood in front of it as though she would guard the occupant of the bed from the intruding eyes of strangers.
"It's all right, Peggy," said the innkeeper.