“What time was this?”
“Just half-past two. I know, because I had told my people I’d meet them again at three, and I wanted a half hour for my research, and had it, too.”
“This is most important, Mr. Lindsay. You are prepared to swear it all as a witness, if called on?”
“Oh, it’s all true, of course. But, I say, I don’t want to get old Landon in trouble.”
“It doesn’t necessarily imply that. Perhaps Mrs. Black may be implicated more than we have supposed. But he, I understand, denies knowing the lady until meeting her here, after his uncle’s death.”
“Nonsense, he knew her for years out in Denver. They are old friends.”
“That, too, is of importance. Why should he wish to pretend they were not?”
“I don’t know, I’m sure. But Landon always was a queer Dick. You know he left college before he was graduated, because of a quarrel with this same uncle. Mr. Trowbridge was putting him through, and they had a tiff about something, and Kane chucked it all, and went off out West. Been there ever since, till just now, and it’s a pity he hadn’t stayed there rather than to get mixed up in this affair.”
“You consider him mixed up in it, then?”
“I wouldn’t say that, but I know the police are still hinting at his possible connection with the matter and the Press, you know, will try to hang the crime on to somebody worth while. They don’t want to suspect highwaymen or Swedish passers-by, if they can get a man higher up. Now, do they?”