ered her voice until she almost whispered,
"Major Goddard and Nancy were thrown together day after day while we
were in Winchester. We both felt so sorry for him, and Nancy used to
talk or read to him continually during his convalescence. I watched
them both, and it gradually dawned on me that the major worshipped the
ground Nancy walked on. Now, is it not possible that he overheard Lloyd
tell Symonds he had secured a paper which might hang Nancy?"

"Yes," agreed the senator, seeing she paused for a reply.

"Men have thrown worlds away before now to win a woman's love," went on
Miss Metoaca so rapidly that her words tumbled over each other. "God
knows, I don't want to turn suspicion against an innocent man; but do
you not think it possible that Major Goddard...?"

"Killed his friend and secured the paper," finished Warren, as she
hesitated. "Possible, but not probable."

"Why not?" demanded Miss Metoaca heatedly. "It is more probable than
that Nancy should have committed the murder."

"Men have done many mad deeds for love," pursued Warren, paying no
attention to her interruption, "but they cannot accomplish the
impossible. You think Goddard stepped into that bedroom, chloroformed
Lloyd, and then stole the wallet containing that despatch?"

Miss Metoaca nodded her head without speaking.

"How could a blind man do all that and _not_ overturn one thing in the
room?" asked Warren quietly.

CHAPTER XIX

GROPING IN THE DARK

"How do you know he didn't?" snapped Miss Metoaca, sticking to her
theory with grim determination.

"Because Symonds declares there was no sign of confusion in the room
when he found the two men--one dead--one unconscious."

"Always Symonds!" grumbled Miss Metoaca disgustedly. "He is a regular
Jack-in-the-box. I don't care what he says. I firmly believe Major
Goddard is responsible for Lloyd's death, if he really _was_ killed,
which I think is open to doubt."

"I thought as you do at first," agreed the senator, "but I found on
closer examination that the theory would not hold water. In the first
place, Goddard, being blind, had, and has, to feel his way
about--probably had to grope around Lloyd's body to locate his
face--which would undoubtedly have aroused the sleeping man...."

"Wait a bit," interrupted Miss Metoaca. "Even if he did awaken Lloyd,
the latter would have thought nothing of finding his friend by his
bedside. They were roommates--and probably, after speaking to Godd