"How about the lavalliere? Wasn't it found under his window? The papers said so."
"Yes; in the grass in the yard. But he denies knowing anything about it."
"Of course! And his confession is nothing but a confirmation of the case against him."
"Exactly. He seems to want to hang himself. And he'll do it. The grand jury meets next Thursday. He'll be indicted then, and tried two weeks later."
"What are the people here saying about Braceway's bitterness against Morley? Anything?"
"Yes. I'd meant to tell you about that. Some of the gossip hits Withers pretty hard. They can't understand what's behind this persecution of Morley after it's been proved that Perry did the murder. You've seen hints of it in the papers.
"And it looks queer. Some say Withers is guilty, out-and-out guilty, and afraid the case against Perry won't hold good. So, they say, he wants to get a case against Morley."
"A sort of second line of defense?"
"I reckon so. But, then, there are others saying right now that Morley was mixed up in some sort of scandal for which Withers wants revenge. That's what you said at the very start. Remember?"
Bristow laughed softly.