“Leaving Mr Barry, Mr Pollard and Mr Monroe.”
“Yes; and they surely cannot be suspected. You have declared Mr Barry innocent, Mr Pollard was in his own home at the time of the crime, and Dean Monroe—why, he hasn’t even been thought of.”
“Has he been inquired of as to his whereabouts at the time?”
“I don’t know, I’m sure. Has he, Phyllis?”
“I don’t know. But it’s silly to think of Dean! Why, he scarcely knew Mr Gleason.”
“But he is devoted to you?” Wise asked the question so casually that Phyllis answered, frankly, “Yes, he is. That is, he has asked me to marry him.”
“And you refused?”
“I did. But, Mr Wise, is it necessary to tell you such things?”
“It is, Miss Lindsay. I fully believe that you are the innocent cause of this murder. This attaches no blame to you, in any way, but it makes it imperative for me to learn these details. Probably nine crimes out of ten are committed because of a woman—so don’t let it disturb you.”
“Not disturb me!” Phyllis cried; “of course it disturbs me! If there are women so foolishly vain as to enjoy stirring up strife among their admirers, I am not of that sort. I wish I were dead!”