He keenly realized, however, that a theory based only upon his own convictions was not enough, that absolute evidence was needed to convince others, and he was not long in hitting upon a plan by which he thought he could obtain it.
Nick hurriedly explained it to Patsy, giving him a few necessary instructions, and he then sent him to call the suspected man from the kitchen.
Henley came slouching into the library a moment later, with Ginger trailing at his heels. He had a more lowering look in his shifty eyes. He had become impatient and suspicious during his long wait. He did not fancy his having been excluded from the conference of the detectives. It smacked of distrust of him, and his resentment was manifest in his swarthy face.
Nick saw it, of course, and at once took steps to dispel it.
“Pardon me, Henley, for keeping you waiting so long,” he apologized with a heartiness well calculated to be convincing. “I had no idea it would take more than a[Pg 25] few minutes to examine these articles. Sorry to have kept you waiting.”
“That’s all right, Mr. Carter,” growled Henley, with countenance lighting. “Time ain’t wuth much to me. I reckoned you’d want a good look at them.”
“I have examined them carefully, Henley.”
“What d’ye think about it?”
“It looks like a bad mess, very bad,” Nick said, more gravely.
“So it does,” Henley nodded. “There ain’t nothing to it but murder, that I can see.”