“This morning,” said Chick, “we said that if we found that Masson was not responsible for the death of the dogs it would go far toward putting Masson out from under the suspicion of murder. Does it work the other way when we find that he is responsible for the poisoning?”
“I am afraid that is the way we figured this morning,” said Nick, with a smile. “But after hearing Patsy’s report, I am even more puzzled as to Masson.
“If he was guilty of that murder, he is a cool-blooded wretch to talk of it, as Patsy reports he did.”
“Yes,” said Chick, “his nerve is great. It seems he knew it was not Blanche, but Ethel Romney that was killed.”
“Don’t forget, Chick, that at the time he was talking to these men all the world knew. The evening papers by that time had corrected the error of the morning.”
“True enough,” said Chick, “I had forgotten that. So there is no point in that.”
“But, chief,” cried Patsy, “what are we to do about the lads that are going to Chicago to-night?”
“Let them go,” replied Nick, quietly.
“Let them go?” repeated Chick and Patsy in the same breath.
“Yes; it will be easy enough to get them when we want them. The chief thing is that I want Masson to think that he is right; that we are not paying any attention to the dog end of the case; and, to convince him, if we can, by our action that we have no suspicion as to him as the murderer.”