"You promised the other night to tell me what made you think that the murderers had failed to secure the thing they sought. The words that the promise was couched in made me think that you had also something to show me, and as we could not light up last night, I've waited patiently until to-day. Now you must ease my curiosity. Come, tell me a few things."
Ashton-Kirk took his cigar from his mouth.
"I told you," said he, "that the reports of Burgess and Fuller, together with the conversation we had with Tobin, had enlightened me upon these points." As he enumerated them, he checked them off with his fingers:
"Why the murder was done.
"The identity of the confederate of Locke.
"That the man would return to the scene of the crime."
"Yes," said Pendleton, "those, I think, were the points."
"The first two," went on the investigator, "I will allow to stand for a while. But I promised to illustrate for you, and I think I can do so."
Ashton-Kirk here arose and passed through the storeroom and kitchen into the bedroom.
"The writing upon the step in the hall," said he, facing his friend, "directed Locke's confederate to look for something behind Wayne's portrait. As all the pictures of Wayne in the place were broken or otherwise showed traces of rough handling, it seemed that the thing desired must have been found. However, I was not sure about that, as I have told you.