“The original.”
“Then what do you make of it?”
“I believe it does not contain the message. I believe the original envelope was opened by Roland Packard.”
“Why did he do that?”
“I don’t know, unless he expected he would have to give up something and was determined to hang on to the real message. I am convinced that there was somebody behind Roland Packard. He was not working on his own hook. The messenger was pursued all the way from Colorado to New Haven by a man who seemed determined to do him injury. That man failed, but is it not possible he instigated the action of Roland Packard?”
“And you think the stranger employed him to get hold of the message?”
“I have arrived at that belief.”
“Still, that does not explain the fake envelope.”
“It seems to me that Roland Packard’s curiosity was aroused and he determined to find out what the original envelope contained. He opened it. In fact, having studied and examined this envelope closely, I think I can detect indications that it has been broken open.”
“Then it is likely that Oliver Packard did not restore to you the message, after all.”