"Er—I don't know if it matters. The property master has not turned up. As he gave me the dummies I thought perhaps——?"

"We shall have to do without him," said Alleyn. "Are the dressers here?"

Simpson glanced offstage. Beadle and Trixie Beadle came through the wings and stood awkwardly at the end of the semi-circle.

"First I must tell you, all of you, that the police have formed a definite theory as regards this crime. It is in order to substantiate this theory that the reconstruction is necessary. I want to impress upon you that, apart from its distressing associations, there is nothing to worry about in the business. I merely ask the innocent members of the company to rehearse a particular scene in order to verify my theory as regards the movements of the guilty individual. I most earnestly beg of you to behave exactly as you did, so far as you can remember, during the last performance of this scene. I give you this opportunity to vindicate yourselves and at the same time establish the case which we shall bring before the court. I appeal to you to play fair. As innocent individuals you have nothing to fear. Is it agreed?"

He waited for a moment and then Barclay Crammer cleared his throat portentously. He advanced two paces and gazed into the auditorium.

"I do not know if Miss Vaughan or Mr. Gardener have anything to say——" he began.

"Nothing," said Stephanie Vaughan quickly. "I'm quite ready to do it."

"I too," said Gardener.

"In that case," continued Mr. Crammer deeply, "I may say at once that I am prepared to play out this horrible farce—to the end." He let his voice break slightly. "God grant we may be the instruments to avenge poor Arthur." He made a slight gesture expressive of noble resignation and very nearly bowed to the empty auditorium. The hidden Nigel refrained, with something of an effort, from giving him a heartfelt clap. Alleyn caught Gardener's eye. Gardener looked as though he wanted to wink.

"That's all settled, then," said Alleyn. "Now the only difference between this and the real show is that I am not going to black-out the lights. I will ask those of you who were in your dressing-rooms at the end of the interval to go to them now. Any movement that you made from one room to another you will repeat. You will see that I have stationed officers along the passages. Please behave exactly as if they were not there. The conversation on the stage between Miss Max, Mr. Surbonadier, Miss Emerald, and Mr. Simpson before the curtain went up, we will reproduce as closely as possible. I will blow this whistle at the point when you are to imagine the black-out takes place, and again when the lights would go on. Now will you all go to your dressing-rooms?"

They filed off quietly. Simpson went to the prompt box and Sergeant Watkins joined him there.