“Our information,” said Gillett slowly and impressively, “is that he believed Lumsden was dead—that he had been killed in France. That in his capacity as an officer he sent Lumsden and another man to their death. He had a grudge against this other man. Lumsden’s companion was killed but Lumsden was taken prisoner and subsequently escaped. If that is correct, it supplies a strong motive for getting Lumsden out of the way when he discovered that Lumsden was alive and in England.”
“When did Marsland make this discovery?”
“That I don’t know. But he could easily have made it and obtained Lumsden’s address from the headquarters of the London Rifle Brigade.”
“Did he make such inquiries there?”
“I have not obtained positive proof that he did. But as a retired officer of the Brigade, who knows his way about their headquarters, he could do it for himself in a way that would leave no proof.”
“Who was the man that Marsland sent out on a mission of death with Lumsden?”
“I haven’t got the name.”
“Can’t you get it?”
“I am afraid not. It is not a thing one could get from the regimental records.”
“But cannot you get it from your informant—from the person who is your authority for the story?”