"Sure," said Ned candidly. "I quite admit there is no proof of anything—yet."
"No robbery, no evidence of anyone having come in by the window—"
"No proof," corrected Ned. "I maintain that the window being unsnibbed and that mud on the floor and the table near the window being upset is evidence; but not proof positive."
Simon's patience had by this time become exemplary. His only wish seemed to be to convince by irresistible argument this obstinate objector. It struck the visitor, moreover, that in this effort the lawyer was displaying a fluency not at all characteristic of silent Simon.
"Well, let us leave it at that. Suppose there be a possibility that entry was actually made by the window. It is a bare possibility against the obvious and easy entrance by the door,—near which, remember, the body was found. Then, as I have pointed out, there was no robbery, and not a trace has been found of anybody outside that house with a motive for the crime."
"Except me."
"Unless you care to except yourself. But neither you nor the police have found any bad characters in the place."
"That's true enough," Ned admitted reluctantly.
"On the other hand, there were within the house two people with a very strong motive for committing the crime."
"I deny that!" cried Ned with a sudden gleam of ferocity in his eye that seemed to disconcert the lawyer.