The answer came quick and coldly:
"He is a constant visitor at my house."
Mr. Byrd made a respectful bow.
"You can, then, have no doubts of his ability to prove an alibi?"
"I have no doubts concerning Mr. Mansell," was the stern and uncompromising reply.
Mr. Byrd at once felt he had received his dismissal. But before making up his mind to go, he resolved upon one further effort. Calling to his aid his full power of acting, he slowly shook his head with a thoughtful air, and presently murmured half aloud and half, as it were, to himself:
"I thought, possibly, he might have gone to Washington." Then, with a casual glance at Mr. Goodman, added: "He is an inventor, I believe?"
"Yes," was again the laconic response.
"Has he not a machine at present which he desires to bring to the notice of some capitalist?"
"I believe he has," was the forced and none too amiable answer.