Barnes looked for a minute at the detective in utter silence. Then he slowly said:
“You are certainly a wonderful man!”
“Why so?”
“Because you are able to so quickly see and take a meaning from facts so apparently unimportant that they would escape the attention of an ordinary man.”
“Not if he used the brains which God has given him. If people would only use their wits there would be scant need for lawyers, doctors or detectives.”
As they were going back toward the house, Barnes asked:
“Have you discovered anything which throws light on the mystery?”
“Yes.”
“Can you take me into your confidence?”
“I do not think it would be wise. As the case now stands it will be better for me to keep my own counsel, for you might say something that would tend to divert my mind from the plan already forming in it, which is something I never like to have done.”