n want of him and can
afford to pay for them. Of course, a leading barrister, such as Holymead,
often declines a brief because he has so much to do, but he is not
supposed to decline it for personal reasons."

"His heart will not be in the case," said Rolfe philosophically.

"On the contrary, I think it will," said Crewe. "My own opinion is that,
if necessary, he will exert his powers to the utmost in order to get
Birchill off, and that he will succeed."

"Not he," said Rolfe confidently. "Our case is too strong."

"You've got a lot of circumstantial evidence, but a clever lawyer will
pull it to pieces. Circumstantial evidence has hung many a man, and it
will hang many more. But a jury will hesitate to convict on
circumstantial evidence when it can be shown that the conduct of the
prisoner is at variance with what the conduct of a guilty man would be. I
don't bet, but I'll wager you a box of cigars to nothing that Holymead
gets Birchill off."

"It's a one-sided wager, but I'll take the cigars because I could do
with a box of these," said Rolfe. "You might as well give them to me now,
Mr. Crewe."

"No, no," said Crewe with a smile. "Put a couple in your pocket now,
because you won't win the box."

"Of course, I understand, Mr. Crewe, why you say Birchill is the wrong
man. You feel a bit sore because we have beaten you. I would feel sore
myself in your place, and I don't deny that we got information that put
us on Birchill's track, and therefore it was easier for us to solve the
mystery than it was for you."

"I'm not a bit sore," said Crewe. "I can take a beating, especially when
the men who beat me are good sportsmen." He bowed towards Rolfe, and
that officer blushed as he recalled how Inspector Chippenfield and he
had agreed to withhold information from Crewe and try to put him on a
false scent.

"I wish you'd tell me what you consider the weak points of our case
against Birchill," asked Rolfe.

"Your case is based on Hill's confession, and that to my mind is false in
many details," said Crewe. "Take, for instance, his account of how he
came into contact with Birchill again. This girl Fanning, after a quarrel
with Sir Horace, came over to Riversbrook with a message for Hill which
was virtually a threat. Now does that seem probable? The girl who had
been in the habit of visiting Sir Horace goes over to see Hill. No woman
in the circumstances would do anything of the sort. She had too good an
opinion of hers