Bat looked at him in surprise, but before he could speak the other went on:
“The matter of the northwest wind has a rare sound, and the affair of the sword will in the end, I have no doubt, prove of much interest.” He was silent for a space as though thinking, and then proceeded: “And so Mrs. Kretz is inclined to suspect the girl of foul work?”
Bat nodded.
“She is,” said he. “And, much against my will, I’m inclined to do the same.”
“You say you heard her talk to Shaw in the dark hall; and afterwards when she had suspected something wrong because of the lights further along being turned off, she came back to learn who had done it.”
“She did,” said Bat. “I saw her as plainly as I see you.”
“Things fall together very oddly at times,” said the crime specialist, more to himself than to Bat. “Very oddly.” Then to Scanlon: “Miss Knowles, you say, was interested to know if Shaw had taken any of the papers at which he was looking?”
“Yes,” replied Bat.
“I, also, am a trifle curious as to that.” The soulless blue glasses were fixed upon the big man steadily. “What did Campe have to say in the matter?”
“Nothing,” replied Bat. “At least nothing that I heard.”