"'I'm afraid it doesn't lighten matters up very much.'
"'I never said it would. The gist of this is down in your brief, Grayson. I only came round to chambers because of your letter.'
"'Still,' I persisted, 'you threw out a hint that Guide had offered some explanation.'
"'Oh, yes; but such a flimsy, improbable theory that no sane man could entertain it for a minute. In fact, he knew it to be absurd himself. After pressing him again and again to suggest how Walker could have been killed (with the view of extorting a confession), he said, in his slow, heavy way, "Why, I suppose, Mr. Barnes, someone else must ha' done it. Don't you think as a man could ha' got into the carriage whilst I was lying there stupid, and hit Walker with the pick and got out again afore I come to? Would that do, sir?"
"'I didn't think,' added Barnes, drily, 'that it was worth following that theory any deeper. What do you say?'
"I thought for a minute and then spoke up. 'Look here, Barnes; if in the face of this cock-and-bull story Guide persists in his innocence, there may be something in it after all; and if by any thousand-to-one chance we could bring him clear, it would be a red feather in the caps of both of us. Do you object to my seeing the man personally?'
"'It's a bit irregular,' said Barnes, doubtfully.
"'I know it is bang in the teeth of etiquette. But suppose we compromise, and you come with me?'
"'No, I won't do that. My time's busy just now; and besides, I don't want to run up the costs of this case higher than necessary. But if you choose to shove your other work aside and waste a couple of hours, just go and interview him by yourself, and we'll waive ceremony. I'll get the necessary prison order, and send it round to you to-morrow.'
