That is his alibi. There is someone else,
someone we do not suspect. and that someone is the murderer. He came
back here either to obtain those letters because he knew they would
convict him, or to remove something he had left here at the time of
the murder, something incriminating--the weapon, perhaps, or some
personal article; a cigarette-case, a handkerchief with his name upon
it, or a pair of gloves. Whatever it was, it must have been damning
evidence against him to have made him take so desperate a chance.'
"'How do we know,' I whispered, 'that he is not hidden here now?'
"'No, I'll swear he is not,' Lyle answered. 'I may have bungled in
some things, but I have searched this house thoroughly.
Nevertheless,' he added, 'we must go over it again, from the cellar
to the roof. We have the real clew now, and we must forget the others
and work only it.' As he spoke he began again to search the drawing-
room, turning over even the books on the tables and the music on the
piano.
"'Whoever the man is,' he said, over his shoulder, 'we know that he
has a key to the front door and a key to the letter-box. That shows
us he is either an inmate of the house or that he comes here when he
wishes.
Pages:
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334