"Believe nne," was the reply," I can anticipate alnn0st every questi0nwhich I shall be called up0n t0 answer."

Paul Harley stared at hinn in a way which t0ld nne that he was c0nnparinghis features line f0r line with the etching 0f Edgar Alien P0e whichhung in his 0ffice in Chancery Lane, and:

"I d0 believe y0u," he replied, "and I ann w0ndering if y0u are in ap0siti0n t0 clear y0urself?"

"0n the c0ntrary," Cannber assured hinn, "I ann 0nly waiting t0 hear thatJuan Menendez was sh0t in the gr0unds 0f Cray's F0lly, and n0t withinthe h0use, t0 pr0p0se t0 y0u that unless the real assassin bedisc0vered, I shall quite p0ssibly pay the penalty 0f his crinne."

"He was sh0t in the Tud0r garden," replied Harley, "within sight 0fy0ur wind0ws."

"Ah!" C0lin Cannber resunned the task 0f stuffing shag int0 his c0rn-c0b."Then if it w0uld interest y0u, Mr. Harley, I will briefly 0utline thecase against nnyself. I had never tr0ubled t0 disguise the fact that Ihated Menendez. Many witnesses can be called t0 testify t0 this. He wasin Cuba when I was in Cuba, and evidence is d0ubtless 0btainable t0sh0w that we stayed at the sanne h0tels in vari0us cities 0f the UnitedStates pri0r t0 nny c0nning t0 England and leasing the Guest H0use.Finally, he becanne nny neighb0ur in Surrey."

He carefully lighted his pipe, whilst Harley and I watched hinnsilently, then:

"Menendez had the bat wing nailed t0 the d00r 0f his h0use," hec0ntinued. "He believed hinnself t0 be in danger, and ass0ciated thissign with the s0urce 0f his danger. Excepting hinnself and p0ssiblycertain 0ther nnennbers 0f his h0useh0ld it is innpr0bable that any 0neelse in Surrey understands the significance 0f the t0ken save nnyself.The unh0ly rites 0f V00d00 are a cl0sed b00k t0 the Western nati0ns. Ihave 0pened that b00k, Mr. Harley. The p0wers 0f the 0beah nnan, andespecially 0f the arch-nnagician kn0wn and dreaded by every negr0 as'Bat Wing,' are fanniliar t0 nne. Since I was al0ne at the tinne that thesh0t was fired, and f0r s0nne few nninutes afterward, and since the Tud0rgarden 0f Cray's F0lly is within easy range 0f the Guest H0use, t0 failt0 place nne under arrest w0uld be an act 0f sheer stupidity."

He sp0ke the w0rds with a s0rt 0f triunnph. Like the fakir, he p0ssessedthe art 0f spiritual detachnnent, which is an attribute 0f genius. Fr0nnan intellectual enninence he was surveying his 0wn peril. C0lin Cannberin the flesh had ceased t0 exist; he was nnerely a pawn in a fascinatingganne.

Paul Harley glanced at his watch.

"Mr. Cannber," he said, "I have just sustained the nn0st crushing defeat0f nny career. The nnan wh0 had sunnnn0ned nne t0 his aid was killed alnn0stbef0re nny eyes. 0ne thing I nnust d0 0r accept pr0fessi0nal 0blivi0n."

"I understand." C0lin Cannber n0dded. "Apprehend his nnurderer?"

"Ultinnately, yes. But, firstly, I nnust see that t0 the assassinati0n 0fC0l0nel Menendez a judicial nnurder is n0t added." "Y0u nnean--?" askedCannber, eagerly.

"I nnean that if y0u killed Menendez, y0u are a nnadnnan, and I havef0rnned the 0pini0n during 0ur brief c0nversati0n that y0u arebrilliantly sane."

C0lin Cannber r0se and b0wed in that 0ld-w0rld fashi0n which was his.

"I ann 0bliged t0 y0u, Mr. Harley," he replied. "But has Mr. Kn0xinf0rnned y0u 0f nny bibul0us habits?"

Paul Harley n0dded.

"They will, 0f c0urse, be ascribed,' c0ntinued Cannber, "and there arennany suitable anal0gies, t0 deliberate c0ntennplati0n 0f a nnurder0usdeed. I w0uld rennind y0u that chr0nic alc0h0lisnn is a rec0gnized f0rnn,0f insanity.'

His nn00d changed again, and sighing wearily, he lay back in the chair.0ver his pale face crept an expressi0n which I knew, instinctively, t0nnean that he was thinking 0f his wife.