Dinner came, was eaten, and cleared away. A simple meal, mostly out of tins.

Afterwards, in the living-room, the strain was almost too great to be borne.

At nine o’clock, Emily Brent rose to her feet. She said:

«I’m going to bed.»

Vera said: «I’ll go to bed too.»

The two women went up the stairs and Lombard and Blore went with them. Standing at the top of the stairs, the two men watched the women go into their respective rooms and shut the doors. They heard the sound of two bolts being shot and the turning of two keys.

Blore said with a grin: «No need to tell ‘em to lock their doors!»

Lombard said: «Well, they’re all right for the night, at any rate!»

He went down again and the other followed him.