"I know that he is a scamp," was the emphatic response, "and I can't conceive of a reason why Playfair should desire to shield him. Hold on a bit, there is a reason. The mother, Playfair's wife. My dead friend fairly idolized her, and, perhaps, his lenity in the matter of the house-robbery may be accounted for by his regard for the memory of his deceased wife."
"I think your explanation is a good one," said Nick. "In fact, I had thought of it myself."
"If I could only explain the motive of the murder I would be better satisfied, Mr. Carter, but I can't."
"Let me see if I can," rejoined Nick. "Mannion robbed the house, but his plunder did not consist wholly of money. He stole something else, something, I should say, of no value to any one but the original possessor. Do you know whether the robbed drawer was used as a receptacle of anything except money?"
"He kept letters there."
"All his letters?"
"Oh, no, for the drawer would not have held them. There was a package of old letters which he kept there. I saw it often during his lifetime."
"Was the package there when you examined the drawer last night?"
"No. There was nothing whatever in the drawer."