It is also a matter of common knowledge that he had no visitors that morning, and the twenty or thirty clerks in the outer office have all sworn that they heard no shot fired and saw no one enter or leave Mr.Whitmore's private room.

Now I do not pretend to offer any explanation as to how Mr.Whitmore was killed.

But I do maintain that the accusing police officer should be asked to tell how the alleged murderer got to his victim." "I am not prepared to go into that as yet," Britz interrupted.
"But you mean to imply that you have a satisfactory explanation to offer ?" questioned the lawyer.
"That phase of the case gives me no concern," Britz replied curtly.

"It is a minor feature of this investigation." A shade of anxiety passed over the lawyer's face as he noted the coolness with which the detective dismissed what was generally regarded as the most puzzling feature of the entire case.

It occurred to him, however, that the detective might be indulging in the favorite police game of bluff--that his easy dismissal of one of the most important features of the mystery was but a sham, a pretense designed to cover his ignorance.
"If you regard the matter so lightly, why don't you disclose your knowledge to the coroner ?" he taunted the detective.
"Perhaps he has already done so," the coroner interjected.