“And do you recognise this gentleman as the Professor?” I asked.
“Certainly, sir; I saw him pass in at the gate this morning. He’s cut off his beard, and that makes a bit of difference to a man, you know!”
He laughed.
“You have no hesitation in identifying him, eh?” I asked. “You’ll be able to swear to him in a court of law?”
“Yes, sir, in any court of law. The Professor’s been very kind to me, once or twice; therefore it isn’t likely that I forget either his face or his voice.”
This bewildered me. Was it possible that this impostor was the Professor’s twin brother? I felt confident that Kirk was continuing some very ingenious conspiracy. Was not his suggestion to me that I should forget the tragedy sufficient proof of double-dealing?
I thanked the park-keeper, who withdrew with Antonio, whereupon Kirk asked me whether I was not satisfied.
“No,” I said, “and I shall never be satisfied until I discover the identity of the man who killed Professor Greer.”
“But Professor Greer stands before you!” declared Ethelwynn; “nobody killed him!”
“So you wish me to believe,” I said with a smile, “but as my secrecy has been demanded on your account, I can only suspect that you were, in some way, implicated in the crime.”