"Not in so many words,—but you imply it. I tell you I didn't kill him! I didn't!"
Thorpe was not excited of manner, he was very calm, but his blazing eyes and quivering mouth, and his intensity, rather than force of speech gave him the effect of intense excitement.
"Don't deny or assert, Mr. Thorpe," said Middleton, coldly. "Just tell your story. At what time did you rise?"
"About ten o'clock," was the short reply.
"And then?"
"Then I bathed, shaved and dressed just as usual. I generally dress before Mr. Blair, and I thought nothing of his silence."
"His bedroom door was closed?"
"Yes; then, after I was dressed and about to go out to my breakfast, I called to him through the door."
"What did you say?"
"I can't repeat the exact words, but it was only to the effect of 'good-by, old chap,' or maybe, 'I'm off, Blair,' or something of the sort."