"I am puzzled myself about him," admitted Stephen, "and he is a most uncomfortable boy to have about one. Still I have always found him upright and honourable. I have never known him to tell a lie. But he must know all about this case and how Frisco has been accused."
"I'm not so sure of that. Sidney lives with his head in the clouds. He perhaps has heard that Frisco has been accused, but, as the man does not now come across his path, he never thinks of any possible danger to him. Again Stephen, that silver bullet is queer."
"How do you mean queer?"
"Well you know the mediæval superstition that a warlock can be killed only by a silver bullet. A thing of that sort, is exactly what would appeal to the dreamy nature of Sidney. He is something of a mystic himself remember. He might have taken it into his head, that Carr was a warlock who had dealings with the devil"--
"I am sure he would have every reason to think so," said Marsh-Carr, "if any man was hand in glove with Satan, my uncle was that man."
"You see what you say yourself. Then Sidney thinking in a less sane fashion on the same subject might have considered it his duty to deliver the world from such a wizard. He would certainly then use a silver bullet, thinking (according to the mediæval superstition) that the man could not be killed by ordinary lead."
"It's all theory," said Stephen gloomily, "and fantastic at that."
"As you say--all theory and fantastic," admitted Herrick, "but you must remember that we are dealing with a fantastic nature. But we must see this boy and question him when we get home."
"He will deny everything."
"On the contrary if I know anything of the boy, he will calmly admit what he has done."