"I am quite sane—only a little out of practice."
His words were like a shower of icy water. Babbacombe contracted instantly.
"You wish me to believe that you did this thing in cold blood—that you deliberately meant to do it?"
"Certainly I meant to do it," said West.
"Why?" said Babbacombe.
Again he gave the non-committal shrug, no more. There was almost a fiendish look in his eyes, as if somewhere in his soul a demon leaped and jeered.
"Tell me why," Babbacombe persisted.
"Why should I tell you?" said West.
Babbacombe hesitated for an instant; then gravely, kindly, he made reply:
"For the sake of the friendship that has been between us. I had not the faintest idea that you were in need of money. Why couldn't you tell me?"