"Well," continued Wedgwood, "the thing is—who got to know that Wraypoole knew a secret connected with this girl, Avice Mortover, and that the secret was in that manuscript? Somebody did! That somebody is probably the murderer. So far, there isn't the slightest clue to his identity. But there are certain things I'd like to know. One is—did Thomas Wraypoole see John before John went to Miss Tandy's flat? Did he see him for even ten minutes, five minutes?—not at Henekey's, but somewhere else. He may have done—he'd plenty of time. Had he seen him when he himself turned in at Henekey's—was the arrangement between them he, Thomas, was to wait at Henekey's while John went to Miss Tandy's? If they had met, did John tell Thomas the result of any investigation he'd been making down at Netherwell? Had he told him something before ever he went to Netherwell?"
"You don't trust Mr. Thomas Wraypoole?" suggested the inspector.
"No!" said Wedgwood, sharply. "In my opinion he's as clever as he's unscrupulous—both highly developed. I think he knows a lot that he's no intention of telling."
"But as to actual guilt?" asked the inspector. "Didn't he tell you that he could prove that at
