It means that on January 8th last you were not at Cannes, but at Marlow. It means that when your tool, Madame Nadina, turned against you, you planned to do away with her—and at last we shall be able to bring the crime home to you."
"Indeed? And from whom did you get all this interesting information? From the man who is even now being looked for by the police? His evidence will be very valuable."
"We have other evidence. There is some one else who knew that Nadina was going to meet you at the Mill House."
Sir Eustace looked surprised. Colonel Race made a gesture with his hand. Arthur Minks alias the Rev. Edward Chichester alias Miss Pettigrew stepped forward. He was pale and nervous, but he spoke clearly enough:
"I saw Nadina in Paris the night before she went over to England. I was posing at the time as a Russian Count. She told me of her purpose. I warned her, knowing what kind of man she had to deal with, but she did not take my advice. There was a wireless message on the table. I read it. Afterwards I thought I would have a try for the diamonds myself. In Johannesburg, Mr. Rayburn accosted me. He persuaded me to come over to his side."
Sir Eustace looked at him. He said nothing, but Minks seemed visibly to wilt.
"Rats always leaving a sinking ship," observed Sir Eustace. "I don't care for rats. Sooner or later, I destroy vermin."
"There's just one thing I'd like to tell you, Sir Eustace," I remarked. "That tin you threw out of the window didn't contain the diamonds. It had common pebbles in it. The diamonds are in a perfectly safe place. As a matter of fact, they're in the big giraffe's stomach. Suzanne hollowed it out, put the diamonds in with cotton
