on the morning of the twenty-sixth of September?"

This was business, and the look that involuntarily leaped into Mr.
Goodman's eye proved that he considered it so. He did not otherwise
betray this feeling, however, but turned quite calmly toward a chair,
into which he slowly settled himself before replying:

"And why do you not ask the gentleman himself where he was? He probably
would be quite ready to tell you."

The inflection he gave to these words warned Mr. Byrd to be careful. The
truth was, Mr. Goodman was Mr. Mansell's best friend, and as such had
his own reasons for not being especially communicative in his regard, to
this stranger. The detective vaguely felt this, and immediately changed
his manner.

"I have no doubt of that, sir," he ingenuously answered. "But Mr.
Mansell has had so much to distress him lately, that I was desirous of
saving him from the unpleasantness which such a question would
necessarily cause. It is only a small matter, sir. A person--it is not
essential to state whom--has presumed to raise the question among the
authorities in Sibley as to whether Mr. Mansell, as heir of poor Mrs.
Clemmens' small property, might not have had some hand in her dreadful
death. There was no proof to sustain the assumption, and Mr. Mansell was
not even known to have been in the town on or after the day of her
murder; but justice, having listened to the aspersion, felt bound to
satisfy itself of its falsity; and I was sent here to learn where Mr.
Mansell was upon that fatal day. I find he was not in Buffalo. But this
does not mean he was in Sibley, and I am sure that, if you will, you can
supply me with facts that will lead to a complete and satisfactory
_alibi_ for him."

But the hard caution of the other was not to be moved.

"I am sorry," said he, "but I can give you no information in regard to
Mr. Mansell's travels. You will have to ask the gentleman himself."

"You did not send him out on business of your own, then?"

"No."

"But you knew he was going?"

"Yes."

"And can tell when he came back?"

"He was in his place on Wednesday."

The cold, dry nature of these replies convinced Mr. Byrd that something
more than the sullen obstinacy of an uncommunicative man lay behind this
determined reticence. Looking at Mr. Goodman inquiringly, he calmly
remarked:

"You are a friend of Mr. Mansell?"

The answer came quick and coldly:

"He is a constant visitor at my house."

Mr. Byrd made a res