CONFLICTING EVIDENCE "By the time the public had been able to think over James Fairbairn's evidence, a certain disquietude and unrest had begun to make itself felt both in the bank itself and among those of our detective force who had charge of the case.

The newspapers spoke of the matter with very obvious caution, and warned all their readers to await the further development of this sad case.
"While the manager of the English Provident Bank lay in such a precarious condition of health, it was impossible to arrive at any definite knowledge as to what the thief had actually made away with.

The chief cashier, however, estimated the loss at about L5000 in gold and notes of the bank money--that was, of course, on the assumption that Mr.
Ireland had no private money or valuables of his own in the safe.
"Mind you, at this point public sympathy was much stirred in favour of the poor man who lay ill, perhaps dying, and yet whom, strangely enough, suspicion had already slightly touched with its poisoned wing.
"Suspicion is a strong word, perhaps, to use at this point in the story.
No one suspected anybody at present.

James Fairbairn had told his story, and had vowed that some thief with false keys must have sneaked through the house into the inner office.
"Public excitement, you will remember, lost nothing by waiting.

Hardly had we all had time to wonder over the night watchman's singular evidence, and, pending further and fuller detail, to check our growing sympathy for the man who was ill, than the sensational side of this mysterious case culminated in one extraordinary, absolutely unexpected fact.