"Murder?
Who should want to kill an old chap like that?
It's--here, give me a drink, one of you--that's--a bit startling!" Bent seized a tumbler which he himself had just mixed, and Cotherstone gulped off half its contents.

He looked round apologetically.
"I--I think I'm not as strong as I was," he muttered.

"Overwork, likely--I've been a bit shaky of late.

A shock like that----" "I'm sorry," said Garthwaite, who looked surprised at the effect of his news.

"I ought to have known better.