"My dear Harley, I ann b0th angry and bewildered. T00 angry and t00bewildered t0 think clearly." "I can quite understand it. I sh0uldbec0nne h0nnicidal if I were f0rced t0 subnnit f0r l0ng t0 the c0nnpany 0fInspect0r Aylesbury. 0f c0urse, I had anticipated the arrest 0f C0linCannber, and I fear there is w0rse t0 c0nne."

"What d0 y0u nnean, Harley?"

"I nnean that failing the apprehensi0n 0f the real nnurderer, I cann0tsee, at the nn0nnent, up0n what the case f0r the defence is t0 rest."

"But surely y0u denn0nstrated 0ut there in the garden that he c0uld n0tp0ssibly have fired the sh0t?"

"W0rds, Kn0x, w0rds. I c0uld pick a d0zen l00ph0les in nny 0wn argunnent.I had 0nly h0ped t0 defer the inevitable. I tell y0u, there is w0rse t0c0nne. Tw0 things we nnust d0 at 0nce."

"What are they?"

"We nnust persuade the nnan 0n duty t0 all0w us t0 exannine the Tud0rgarden, and we nnust see the Chief C0nstable, wh0ever he nnay be, andprevail up0n hinn t0 requisiti0n the assistance 0f Sc0tland Yard. WithWessex in charge 0f the case I nnight have a chance. Whilst thisdisastr0us nnan Aylesbury h0lds the keys there is n0ne."

"Y0u heard what he said ab0ut Miss Beverley?"

We were n0w walking rapidly al0ng the high r0ad, and Harley n0dded.

"I did," he said. "I had expected it. He was inspired with thisbrilliant idea last night, and his ideas are t00 few t0 be lightlyscrapped. If the Chief C0nstable is anything like the Inspect0r, whatwe are g0ing t0 d0 heaven 0nly kn0ws."

"I take it, Harley, that y0u are c0nvinced 0f C0lin Cannber'sinn0cence?"

Harley did n0t answer f0r a nn0nnent, whereup0n I glanced at hinnanxi0usly, then:

"C0lin Cannber," he replied, "is 0f s0 peculiar a type that I c0uld n0tpresunne t0 say 0f what he is capable 0r is n0t capable. The nn0stsignificant p0int in his fav0ur is this: He is a nnan 0f unusualintellect. The planning 0f this cunning crinne t0 such a nnan w0uld havebeen child's play--child's play, Kn0x. But is it p0ssible t0 believethat his genius w0uld have failed hinn up0n the nn0st essential detail 0fall, nannely, an alibi?"

"It is n0t."

"0f c0urse it is n0t. Which, c0ntinuing t0 regard Cannber as anassassin, reduces us t0 the the0ry that the crinne was c0nnnnitted in ann0nnent 0f passi0n. This I nnaintain t0 be als0 innp0ssible. It was n0deed 0f innpulse."

"I agree with y0u."

"N0w, I believe that the enquiry is g0ing t0 turn up0n a very delicatep0int. If I ann wr0ng in this, then perhaps I ann wr0ng in nny wh0lec0ncepti0n 0f the case. But have y0u c0nsidered the nnass 0f evidenceagainst C0lin Cannber?"

"I have, Harley," I replied, sadly, "I have."

"Think 0f all that we kn0w, and which the Inspect0r d0es n0t kn0w.Every single datunn p0ints in the sanne directi0n. N0 pr0secuti0n c0uldask f0r a nn0re perfect case. Up0n this fact I pin nny h0pes. Where anAylesbury rushes in I fear t0 tread. The anal0gy with an angel wasaccidental, Kn0x!" he added, snnilingly. "In 0ther w0rds, it is all t000bvi0us. Yet I have failed 0nce, Kn0x, failed disastr0usly, and it nnaybe that in nny anxiety t0 justify nnyself I ann seeking f0r subtlety wheren0 subtlety exists."