“Yes, it does. We know all the principals——”
“Hold on,” Lane said; “what do you mean, principals? There’s the principal character, the victim, himself, but further than that we know no ‘principal.’”
“We don’t! Well, I should say we know most of the suspects.”
“Suspects don’t amount to much,” Pollard observed, “unless you can hang more evidence on them than has been attached to anybody so far.”
“Evidence!” Monroe exclaimed; “what further evidence do you want than that letter of Phil Barry’s?”
“Oho,” said Lane; “you’re out for Barry, are you? But, Pol, here threatened to kill Gleason. That’s far more incriminating evidence to my mind than Barry’s letter. For the letter may have been forged, but Pollard said his words himself.”
“Oh, I know, but Manning was home in his rooms all the time, and nobody knows where Phil was. Why don’t they find out?”
“Why don’t they find out anything?” Lane smiled. “Because they don’t go to work with any intelligence.”
“You could solve the mystery, I suppose?” Monroe flung at him.
“I’d be afraid to try,” and Lane looked serious.