Barrant was unable to accept the assumption that three people were concerned in the murder.
That idea, if not impossible, was at least contrary to reason.

But if it was excluded, how was the silence of Thalassa to be explained?
Was he afraid?
It was as difficult to associate that quality with him as with an eagle or beast of prey.
And the theory failed to explain the reason for Robert Turold's frantic letter to his lawyer on the night of the murder.

That was another loose end.
What a case! It was an abnormal and sinister mystery in any light, with no absolute or demonstrative certainty of proof by any of its circumstances, however regarded.

The effect of its perplexing clues distorted the imagination, outraged the sense of possibility and experience.

To reach conclusiveness in it seemed as impossible as an attempt to scale an unending staircase in a nightmare.