"Very well, then," he reiterated coolly, "put yourself in my place. I'm sorry, of course, as I would be for any human being who was murdered. Otherwise," he shrugged again, "well, there's no more to be said."
There came a pause. "I believe you hinted that you wished to ask me some questions?"
Striver straightened himself. "Well, yes. Have you any idea who murdered my unfortunate aunt?"
"Not in the least."
"What about the lady in the white cloak?"
"Appearances are against her. All the same, she may be innocent."
The young man's blue eyes flashed like sapphires. "I doubt that; else why should she run off with your motor car and lock you in?"
"Well," I drawled, not very sure of my ground, "she may have found your aunt dead, and in a fright----"
"Oh, that won't wash," he interrupted in a somewhat common way. "You swore at the inquest, that you were attracted into this room by a groan from my aunt, in which case she could not have been dead when this lady went up the stairs."
"That is true," I admitted, "but I don't hold a brief for the escaped lady, remember."