“It is. I've told you I knew him at home, but not as Clark.”
“I'll let that go. You intended to take the midnight on the main line, but you ordered a car instead of using the branch road.”
“Livingstone was sick. I thought it would be easier. That's all.” His voice sharpened. “You can't drag me into this, Sheriff. In the first place I don't believe it was Clark, or he wouldn't have come here, of all places on the earth. I didn't even know he was here, until he came into my room this morning.”
“Why did he come into your room?”
“He had seen that I was registered. He said he felt sick. I took him back and put him to bed. To-night I got a doctor.”
The sheriff felt in his pocket and produced a piece of paper. Bassett's morale was almost destroyed when he saw that it was Gregory's letter to David.
“I'll ask you to explain this. It was on Clark's bed.”
Bassett took it and read it slowly. He was thinking hard.
“I see,” he said. “Well, that explains why he came here. He was too sick to talk when I saw him. You see, this is not addressed to him, but to his uncle, David Livingstone. David Livingstone is a brother of Henry Livingstone, who died some years ago at Dry River. This refers to a personal matter connected with the Livingstone estate.”
The sheriff took the letter and reread it. He was puzzled.