HEN the defiant Alexander, accompanied by Mr. O'Rourke and Inspector Druet, had departed, Nicholas Cutter rose.
"Mr. Terhune," he began smoothly, "you must not be annoyed with our hot-headed young Irish friend for his ill-advised interruption of your test. I do not presume to express an opinion in the case but. I shall await the outcome with the keenest expectation, and I want to thank you for a most interesting evening. It has been indeed a privilege to have been present, and I trust that at some more propitious time you will permit me to drop in on you and learn how you prepared the word-test. Good evening."
As though taking leave of his host at a purely social function he bowed himself out, and the criminologist, his equanimity partially restored by the tactful if ambiguous speech, turned to McCarty and Dennis. Bassett had shown the others to the door and the three were alone.
"Well, McCarty, you did not hear the confession I promised you, owing to the interference of your compatriot and the stupidity of your superior, but has my little experiment given you food for thought?"
"If the old gentleman has got the pistol—" Dennis was beginning, but stopped and side-stepped quickly when a heavy boot descended suddenly upon his own.
"If he has, it's no proof he's not guilty!" McCarty declared heartily. "That other one might have been left by the body as a blind, and there are about three million army pistols kicking around the country.—Mr. Terhune, sir, it was wonderful! Never did I see the beat of the way you worked it out! Now, if 'tis not too late will you be after telling us what you doped out from the association tests?"
Dennis stared at his friend in blank amazement and Terhune beamed.
"I always told you that there were possibilities in you far above the ordinary rank and file of the department, my dear McCarty!" he exclaimed. "I will explain the test to you with pleasure. Let us take each one in order. I shall not bore you with the technicalities of the vibratoscope record as thrown upon the projection sheet, but merely give you the result indicated. Mr. O'Rourke's reckless, pleasure-loving, impulsive character was clearly shown in his reactions: 'life' to him meant only sport, and money, debts."
"He loves his wife!" murmured Dennis.
"He had no emotion at the remembrance of Creveling's death but denied the possibility of scandal in connection with it," continued Terhune. "His only thought of grief concerned the dog.—Now we will take Waverly. He was doggedly determined to impress the theory of suicide upon us and his motive was plain; he feared that he himself might be regarded with suspicion because of his recent quarrel with Creveling which, the butler overheard, and he rushed away in a pretense of fury before he learned how groundless that fear was. Cutter, too, insisted upon suicide as the explanation of Creveling's death but that was only from a conservative gentleman's natural distaste for being brought, however remotely, into the notoriety of a murder investigation. You can, I think, follow the steps of the test in Alexander's case."
McCarty nodded.
"That was all true about the brother's will, and the niece's money, and the marriage and all?" he asked slowly.
"Yes. I learned from her maid that Mrs. Creveling bitterly reproached her uncle for forcing her into the marriage and said that the very odor of orange blossoms stifled her; that evidently remained in his thoughts. I have had access to his private papers and account books which proved the state of his financial affairs, and the office boy can testify as to his actions with the pistol on Wednesday and Thursday." Terhune spoke with grim satisfaction. "You heard him admit taking the pistol and also being absent from his rooms at the time the murder was committed, although I did not need his confession; the night elevator boy in the bachelor apartment building where he lives was not asleep as he thought."
"Well, sir, 'twas remarkable the way you led up to it all, and I'll be waiting myself to hear from the inspector whether the old gentleman breaks down and confesses or not.—Come, Denny, we'll be getting along." McCarty edged toward the door.
"I am glad to see, at least, McCarty, that you have an open mind." Terhune shook hands cordially. "It will be rather humiliating to the inspector, I am afraid, but he will have to admit that he was on the wrong track."
"Yes, sir." McCarty laughed. "I told you I'd not be surprised if he had to let Hill go again! Good night, Mr. Terhune."
A drenching April shower was falling as they gained the street but they trudged on beneath their umbrellas in silence. Finally Dennis remarked disgustedly: