"Save murder. Ferdy is a fool, I grant you. But a murderer--no."
"I never accused him of murder," said the girl, faintly, "but he may be an accomplice."
"That's just as bad."
"Not when we know that Ferdy is so weak a man. Osip is strong-willed and may have coerced Ferdy into stamping Uncle Henry's forehead, after the death."
"Of which Osip is guilty?"
"Yes, I firmly believe, from the warning sent, that Osip is guilty."
"Then you mean to say that Osip went upstairs after killing Horran, released Ferdy, and brought him down to----"
"No! no! Osip would not know where Ferdy's room was, and he would not know that he was drunk and locked up. But Ferdy himself might have feigned drunkenness so as to induce me to lock him up."
"Had you ever done so before?"
"Oh, yes. I punished Ferdy in that way. Besides, I was afraid that, in his drunken mood, he might wander about the house, and perhaps set the place on fire. Ferdy always resented my locking him up. But in this instance, if he was likely to be implicated in a crime, and forced to be an accomplice by the stronger will of Osip, the locked door would provide a convenient alibi. Ferdy might have pretended drunkenness, and then have released himself with another key, and have--done what I said."