midnight
`` Something like the murder of Miss Mowbray ? He is seen leaving the vicinity of the murder , and is immediately suspected of the crime , although probably fifty other men in the town were near the house or on the road before the murder was discovered , eh ? '' `` That 's true enough . I passed the house myself on my way home , just before midnight . '' `` Why do n't you arrest yourself as a suspect ? But how was the murder discovered ? '' `` Some one passing saw a flame at the corner of the house , and , looking through a window , saw that the house was afire .