"I can't say for certain. It didn't seem to me more than a minute or two."
"Not exactly. I had left Mr. Fargo in the billiard room a moment before. Major Dell and Mr. Nopp had been talking on the veranda."
"None of these men indicated any previous acquaintance with the butler?"
"None whatever. They were all northern men, from my own part of the country."
"Yes." His face changed expression, ever so little. "Yes, of course."
"You four men were in the lounging-room--and you heard a certain sound. Will you describe the sound?"
"It was a scream--I can't describe it any further."
"Rather a long-drawn scream, or just a sharp utterance?"
"I would say it was rather long--and very loud."
"You knew at once it was the scream of a man?"
"I thought at first it might be some wild thing--perhaps a panther or a lynx--even a water bird."
"Yet it must have been a very distressing sound, was it not? Would you say it was a cry of agony or of fear?"
"Both. Yes--I would say it was a cry of both fear and agony."
"Then what did you do? Tell exactly what happened."
"We went out to investigate. My other guests ran out the same time."
"No, but I met most of them outside. At such times one doesn't observe closely. We ran down to the shore of the lagoon, at the place we've indicated to you, and there we found David Florey, lying dead. There was no one near, and no weapons were lying beside him--at least I didn't see any. He was lying on his side, and his vest and shirt were torn and wet with blood. Some of us went at once to telephone--Mr. Killdare, Mr. Van Hope, Mr. Nopp and myself. The others began to beat through the garden in search of the murderer."
"You're perfectly certain Mr. Florey was dead, Mr. Nealman."
"I didn't dream of anything else at the time, Mr. Weldon. He lay huddled, his face drawn, and certainly there was a terrible wound in his breast."
"These men that hunted through the gardens and lawns. Were they armed?"
"Mr. Marten had a pistol. The others were unarmed."
"I don't think they did. I can't say for sure."
"We telephoned, met the searching party, and all of us went back to the body. It was gone."
"No action or word of any of your guests wakened your suspicions?"
"Remember, as the occupant of the house, you are in a better position to give us a right steer than any one else. I want you to think hard. You observed, at no time, any suspicious circumstances?"