“I should imagine that he was very particular in regard to the kind of a pen he used.”
Barnes turned on the detective a look of astonishment.
“Heavens! to hear you speak one would think you had known the man. If I had not seen this day some very remarkable things done and proved by you, I should certainly believe that you were helped by some supernatural agency.”
Nick smiled, and said:
“All of which I may take as verifying what I said about his being a very particular man about his pens.”
“You may so take it. Nothing would make him so cranky as to find that anybody had made use of his pens.”
“He used a quill pen, I take it?”
“He did.”
“Did you ever know of his using a steel one?”
“No. He would not have one around.”