“Was this Japanese the burglar of whom Charles, the butler, spoke in his testimony?”
“I presume so.”
“Do you think this Ito set fire to the house?”
“Such is my theory,” returned Barclay. “He evidently fired the house with the intention of stealing valuables he could not get the night before.”
The coroner looked incredulous. “If he set the room on fire with any such intention, why should he warn Mr. Ogden and his guests?”
“I’m afraid I can’t answer that,” said Barclay slowly. “But you should recollect that the cleverest criminals are sometimes guilty of inconsistent actions.”
“I am quite aware of that,” acknowledged the coroner dryly. “Have you other evidence to bear out your theory?”
“Only that, on rushing to the portières intending to pass through them into the drawing room, I found the folding doors behind the portières closed and locked.”
“Locked!” echoed Penfield.
“Yes,” impatiently. “The Jap evidently called his warning, locked us in, and secreted himself somewhere, intending to remain hidden until everyone was out of the house—and he could steal at his leisure.”