"You know how all the garden was sealed up like an air-tight
chamber," went on the doctor. "Well, how did the strange man get
into the garden?"

Without turning round, the little priest answered: "There
never was any strange man in the garden."

There was a silence, and then a sudden cackle of almost
childish laughter relieved the strain. The absurdity of Brown's
remark moved Ivan to open taunts.

"Oh!" he cried; "then we didn't lug a great fat corpse on to a
sofa last night? He hadn't got into the garden, I suppose?"

"Got into the garden?" repeated Brown reflectively. "No, not
entirely."

"Hang it all," cried Simon, "a man gets into a garden, or he
doesn't."

"Not necessarily," said the priest, with a faint smile. "What
is the nest question, doctor?"

"I fancy you're ill," exclaimed Dr. Simon sharply; "but I'll
ask the next question if you like. How did Brayne get out of the
garden?"

"He didn't get out of the garden," said the priest, still
looking out of the window.