"I did not say I discarded motive, but I think Mr. Fellowes the last man in the world likely to kill himself."
"Why, then, do you think he stole the needle?"
"Not to kill himself."
Stafford turned his head away a little. "Come now; this is too tall. You are going pretty far in suggesting that Fellowes took your needle to kill some one else."
"Perhaps. But motive might not be so far to seek."
"What motive in this case?" Stafford's eyes narrowed a little with the inquiry.
"Well, a woman, perhaps."
"You know of some one, who—"
"No. I am only assuming from Mr. Fellowes' somewhat material nature that there must be a woman or so."
"Or so—why 'or so?'" Stafford pressed him into a corner.