"I hint," replied Torry, "because I wish to know the reason Mr. Grent intended to run off to South America."
"To South America!" repeated Leighbourne, in a stupified tone. "How do you know he thought of going there?"
"Because I believe Mr. Grent intended to go to Genoa, and take the first boat to Peru."
"Why Peru?"
"Oh, that is a fancy of mine," rejoined Torry with a shrug. "Mr. Grent has a Spanish wife; the murder was committed with a Spanish knife; and two tomb images from Peru are mixed up in the matter; therefore I believe that if Mr. Grent chose any place to fly to, he would go to Lima."
"But why should he fly?"
"This is what I ask you," said the detective coolly.
"I am sure you will be able to supply the reason; so to give you time to make up your mind, I'll look for the ticket to Italy."
Leaving Leighbourne sitting much astonished in the chair, Torry crossed the room to a writing-table placed directly under the window, so as to get all available light. On this lay many papers tossed about in confusion; and through these Torry looked rapidly, but without finding any ticket to Italy. The middle drawer was not locked, and in this the detective discovered a bunch of keys, one of which fitted all the drawers of the escritoire. Within were letters and bills and memoranda; but none of these did Torry examine very closely, as, at the present moment he was bent on discovering the ticket to Genoa or Naples. All his search proved futile, so he desisted with a lowering race and glanced round the room. Leighbourne, who had been biting his fingers, brightened up at this failure, and sneered.
"You see, things are not as you think," he said in a tone of relief.