ed name
Harris last week but Harris did not travel by boat. Burke
Inspector.

"Simple and satisfactory," observed Mr. Murch as Trent, after twice
reading the message, returned it to him. "His own story corroborated in
every particular. He told me he hung about the dock for half an hour or
so on the chance of Harris turning up late, then strolled back, lunched
and decided to return at once. He sent a wire to Manderson: 'Harris not
turned up missed boat returning Marlowe,' which was duly delivered here
in the afternoon, and placed among the dead man's letters. He motored
back at a good rate, and arrived dog-tired. When he heard of Manderson's
death from Martin, he nearly fainted. What with that and the being
without sleep for so long, he was rather a wreck when I came to
interview him last night; but he was perfectly coherent."

Trent picked up the revolver and twirled the cylinder idly for a few
moments. "It was unlucky for Manderson that Marlowe left his pistol and
cartridges about so carelessly," he remarked at length, as he put it
back in the case. "It was throwing temptation in somebody's way, don't
you think?"

Mr. Murch shook his head. "There isn't really much to lay hold of about
the revolver, when you come to think. That particular make of revolver
is common enough in England. It was introduced from the States. Half the
people who buy a revolver to-day for self-defense or mischief provide
themselves with that make, of that caliber. It is very reliable, and
easily carried in the hip-pocket. There must be thousands of them in the
possession of crooks and honest men. For instance," continued the
inspector with an air of unconcern, "Manderson himself had one, the
double of this. I found it in one of the top drawers of the desk
downstairs, and it's in my overcoat pocket now."

"Aha! so you were going to keep that little detail to yourself."

"I was," said the inspector, "but as you've found one revolver, you may
as well know about the other. As I say, neither of them may do us any
good. The people in the house--"

Both men started, and the inspector checked his speech abruptly, as the
half-closed door of the bedroom was slowly pushed open, and a man stood
in the doorway. His eyes turned from the pistol in its open case to the
faces of Trent and the inspector. They, who had not heard a sound to
herald this entrance, simultaneously looked at his long, narrow feet. He
wore rubber-soled tennis shoes.

"