midnight
Search for the weapon with which the crime had been committed proved fruitless ; hence it was plain that the murderer had carried it away . There were no signs whatever of a struggle , and nothing to indicate that the blow had been struck by any burglar with a motive of silencing the prostrate man . The room was a large front one on the first floor , with two French windows opening upon a balcony formed by the big square portico . Both were found to be secured , not only by the latches , but also by long screws as an extra precaution against thieves , old Mr. Courtenay , like many other elderly people , being extremely nervous of midnight intruders . The bedroom itself was well furnished in genuine Sheraton , which he had brought up from his palatial home in Devonshire , for the old man denied himself no personal comfort . The easy chair in which he had sat when I had paid my visit was still in its place at the fireside , with the footstool just as he had left it ; the drawers which we opened one after another showed no sign of having been rummaged , and the sum result of our investigations was absolutely _ nil _ . `` It looks very much as though someone in the house had done it , '' whispered the inspector seriously to me , having first glanced at the door to ascertain that it was closed .