"Alexander Minchin--poor fellow--to be sure! Take a seat, Inspector, take a seat.

Happy to afford you any information in my power." If Mr.Crofts looked relieved, however, as many a decent citizen might under similar visitation, it was a very real relief to Langholm not to have been found out at a glance.

He took the proffered seat with the greater readiness on noting how near it was to the door.
"The death of Mr.Minchin is, as you know, still a mystery--" "I didn't know it," interrupted Crofts, who had quite recovered his spirits.

"I thought the only mystery was how twelve sane men could have acquitted his wife." "That," said Langholm, "was the opinion of many at the time; but it is one which we are obliged to disregard, whether we agree with it or not.
The case still engages our attention, and must do so until we have explored every possible channel of investigation.

What I want from you, Mr.Crofts, is any information that you can give me concerning Mr.
Minchin's financial position at the time of his death." "It was bad," said Mr.Crofts, promptly; "about as bad as it could be.
He had one lucky flutter, and it would have been the ruin of him if he had lived.