"Impossible? Why?"
"Because—because—hang it all, man! you know Luke de Mountford. Do you believe for a moment that he would commit such a dastardly crime? Why, the boy wouldn't know how to plan such villainy, let alone carry it through."
"My dear Will," rejoined the other quietly, "the many years which I have spent at this desk have taught me many things. Among others I have learned that every man is more or less capable of crime: it only depends what the incentive—the temptation if you like to call it so—or the provocation happens to be."
"But here there was no provocation, no temptation, no——"
Colonel Harris paused abruptly. He felt rather than saw his brother-in-law's eyes in their framework of wrinkles resting with obvious sense of amusement upon his wrathful face. No temptation? And what of a peerage and a fortune lost, that could only be regained by the death of the intruder? No provocation? And what of the brother and sister turned out of the old home? The good, simple-minded man had sense enough to see that here, if he wished to speak up for Luke, he was on the wrong track.
"What questions," he said abruptly, "does Luke not answer satisfactorily?"
"How he spent certain hours of yesterday evening."
"He was dancing attendance on Louisa and me."
"Oh, was he? Well that's satisfactory enough. At what time did you part from him?"
"Well! he escorted us to the Danish Legation where we were dining."