But did he strangle the woman?
He says not; that he was only following some extraordinary impulse of the moment in laying his thumbs on the marks he saw on Miss Cumberland's neck.

A fantastic story--told too late, besides, for perfect credence, and not worthy of the least attention if--" The reasons which followed are too well known to us for repetition.
Sweetwater listened with snapping eyes to all that was said; and when he had been given the various clews indicating the presence of a third--and as yet unknown--party on the scene of crime, he rose excitedly to his feet and, declaring that it was a most promising case, begged permission to make his own investigations at The Whispering Pines, after which he would be quite ready to begin his search for the man in the derby hat and high coat-collar, whose love for wine was so great that he chose and carried off the two choicest bottles that the club-house contained.
"A hardy act for any man, gentleman or otherwise, who had just strangled the life out of a fine woman like that.

If he exists and the whole story is not a pure fabrication of the entrapped Ranelagh, he shouldn't be hard to find.

What do you say, gentlemen?
He shouldn't be hard to find." "_We_ have not found him," emphasised the district attorney, with the shortest possible glance at the coroner's face.
"Then the field is all before me," smiled Sweetwater.

"Wish me luck, gentlemen.