"He said the same thing to me," continued the other, "but I remember wondering at the time whether his statement could really be trusted. Like so many gifted men, he was curiously careless in the matter of money. It's quite possible that he may have had a bundle of notes in some drawer that he remembered nothing about."
"And you think that, having whetted his appetite, the thief came back for more?"
Marsden put the question almost casually.
Mr. Medwin spread out his hands. "Surely it's a more likely theory than to imagine the existence of some mysterious object that nobody has ever heard of?"
"I suppose that if the Professor had had any specially valuable paper or secret in his possession he would probably have mentioned the fact? I gather that you were entirely in his confidence?"
"Entirely, as far as his business arrangements were concerned."
"And how about his private affairs?"
The solicitor paused. "I am as much in the dark as you are with regard to them. On anything that concerned himself Mr. Carter was one of the most reticent men who ever lived."
"So I understand from Dr. Gray," returned the Inspector. "All the same, we shall have to look into the matter, and I should think the easiest way of doing it would be to get in touch with his old servant, Kennedy. Do you happen to know where he can be found?"
Colin, who was watching closely, thought that he detected a faint change of expression in the solicitor's face. If so, it passed away instantly.