human
We've had a good look round your place, Mr. Rennett, he said,
gpt
Indeed!
human
That hut of yours in the garden is used, I suppose, for a tool house. There are no tools there now, and one of my men discovered that you can pull up the whole of the floor, it works on a hinge and is balanced with counter-weights.
gpt
I believe it was used as a wine cellar by a former tenant of the house, he said coolly.
human
We have no cellars at the Grange, you know. I do not drink wine, and I've never had occasion to use it.
gpt
That's where he was hidden. We found a blanket, and pillows, down there, and, as you say, it has obviously been a wine cellar, because there is a ventilating shaft leading up into the bushes. We should never have found the trap, but one of my men felt one of the corners of the floor give under his feet.
human
Another thing, the detective went on slowly,
gpt
A big foot or a little foot?
human
It is rather a big foot, said the detective,
gpt
What is the pistol?
human
That's new too, said Colhead.
gpt
Belgian make and impossible to trace, I should imagine. You can't keep track of these Belgian weapons. You can buy them in any shop in any town in Ostend or Brussels, and I don't think it is the practice for the sellers to keep any record of the numbers.
human
In fact, said Jack quietly,
gpt
So it was, but wasn't it established that that was Mr. Meredith's own weapon?
human
The only thing that was established was that he had seen the body and he picked up the pistol which was lying near the dead man. The shot was fired as he opened the door of Mr. Briggerland's house. Then he saw the figure on the pavement and picked up the pistol. He was in that position when Miss Briggerland, who testified against him, came out of the house and saw him.
gpt
I had nothing to do with the case, he said,
human
Well, Rennett, do you think we're going to get into hot water, or are we going to perjure our way to safety?
gpt
There's no need for perjury, not serious perjury, said the other carefully.
human
By the way, Jack, where was Briggerland the night Bulford was murdered?
gpt
When Miss Jean Briggerland had recovered from her horror, she went upstairs and aroused her father, who, despite the early hour, was in bed and asleep. When the police came, or rather, when the detective in charge of the case arrived, which must have been some time after the policeman on point duty put in an appearance, Mr. Briggerland was discovered in a picturesque dressing gown and, I presume, no less picturesque pyjamas.
human
Horrified, too, I suppose,
gpt
Rennett, he said,
human
Which girl are you talking about?
gpt
About Mrs. Meredith. Whilst poor Meredith was alive she was in no particular danger. But do you realise that what were advantages from our point of view, namely, the fact that she had no relations in the world, are to-day a source of considerable peril to this unfortunate lady?
human
I had forgotten that, said Rennett thoughtfully.
gpt
What makes matters a little more complicated, is the will which Meredith made this morning before he was married.
human
Did he make a will?
gpt
You remember he was here with me for half an hour. Well, he insisted upon writing out a will and my wife and Bolton, the butler, witnessed it.
human
And he has left his money----?
gpt
To his wife absolutely, replied the other.
human
The poor old chap was so frantically keen on keeping the money out of the Briggerland exchequer, that he was prepared to entrust the whole of his money to a girl he had not seen.
gpt
And the Briggerlands are her heirs? Do you realise that, Rennett--there's going to be hell!
human
I thought that too,