2
IT WAS WHILE THE partners were taking their customary series of generous aperitifs, shortly after their return to Chalkacres Hall, the country house on Salisbury Plain which they had rented for their riding cure, that Mr. Bunn declared his intention of going very much more closely into the matter of the murder at the spinney than he would into any other affair.
"Why?" demanded Fortworth, with his usual, partner-like unreadiness to agree with any suggestion of Mr. Bunn. "Why go and entangle yourself all up with the police? It's inviting what you've deserved for years past! You'll make some fool blunder or other that will start that super or some smart detective inquiring about you and who you are and where you come from and what you do for a living arid things like that. And if you don'
