l me that you won't accept Mrs. Bowman's testimony--and Dr.
Bowman's--as proving an alibi for Worth Gilbert? I'm ready to swear that
he was at Tait's at five minutes past ten, was there continuously from
that time until a little after midnight, when you yourself saw him
there."

"A little past midnight!" Cummings repeated my words half derisively.
"Not good enough, Boyne. We base our charge on the medical statement
that Mr. Gilbert met his death in the small hours of Sunday morning."

I looked away from Barbara; I couldn't bear her eye. After a stunned
silence, I asked,

"Whose? Who makes that statement?"

"His own physician. Doctor Bowman swears--"

"He?" Mrs. Bowman half rose from her chair. "He'd swear to anything.
I--"

"Don't say any more," Cummings cut her off. And Dykeman mumbled,

"Had the whole history of your marital infelicities all over the shop.
Too bad such things had to be dragged in. Man seems to be a worthy
person--"

"Doctor Bowman told me positively," I broke in, "on the Sunday night
the body was found, that death must have occurred before midnight."

"Gave that as his opinion--his opinion--then," Cummings corrected me.

"Yes," I accepted the correction. "That was his opinion before he
quarreled with Worth. Now he--"

"Slandering Bowman won't get you anywhere, Boyne," Cummings said. "He
wasn't here to testify at the inquest. Man alive, you know that nothing
but sworn testimony counts."

"I wouldn't believe that man's oath," I said shortly.

"Think you'll find a jury will," smirked Cummings, and Dykeman croaked
in,

"A mighty credible witness--a mighty credible witness!"

While these pleasant remarks flew back and forth, a thumping and bumping
had made itself heard in the hall. Now something came against our door,
as though a large bundle had been thrown at the panels. The knob
rattled, jerked, was turned, and a man appeared on the threshold,
swaying unsteadily. Two others, who seemed to have been holding him
back, let go all at once, and he lurched a step into the room. Doctor
Anthony Bowman.

A minute he stood blinking, staring, then he caught sight of his wife
and bawled out,

"She's here all right. Tol' you she was here. Can't fool me. Saw her go
past in the hall."

I looked triumphantly at Dykeman and Cummings. Their star witness--drunk
as a lord! So far he seemed to have sensed nothing in the room but his
wife. Without turning, he reached behind him and slammed the door in