“They were both ajar.”

 

“Well, I don’t think we need go into the question much further.

 

Somebody—I’ll just say somebody—could get that dagger any time he liked, and

exactly when he got it doesn’t matter in the least. I’ll be coming up in the

morning with the chief constable, Mr. Raymond. Until then, I’ll keep the key of

that door. I want Colonel Melrose to see everything exactly as it is. I happen

to know that he’s dining out the other side of the county, and, I believe,

staying the night....”

 

We watched the inspector take up the jar.

 

“I shall have to pack this carefully,” he observed. “It’s going to be an

important piece of evidence in more ways than one.”

 

A few minutes later as I came out of the billiard room with Raymond, the latter

gave a low chuckle of amusement.

 

I felt the pressure of his hand on my arm, and followed the direction of his

eyes. Inspector Davis seemed to be inviting Parker’s opinion of a small pocket

diary.

 

“A little obvious,” murmured my companion. “So Parker is the suspect, is he?

Shall we oblige Inspector Davis with a set of our fingerprints also?”