"I will d0 s0. There is a d00r 0n the s0uth side 0f the h0use, cl0se t0the t0wer and 0pening int0 the rh0d0dendr0n shrubbery. This was thed00r used by C0l0nel Menendez in his s0nnnannbulistic rannbles, acc0rdingt0 his 0wn acc0unt. N0w, assunning his statennent t0 have been untrue in0ne particular, that is, assunning he was n0t walking in his sleep, butwas fully awake--"

"Eh?" exclainned Harley, his expressi0n underg0ing a subtle change. "D0y0u think his statennent was untrue?"

"Acc0rding t0 nny the0ry, Harley, his statennent was untrue, in thisparticular, at least. But t0 pr0ceed: Might he n0t have ennpl0yed thisd00r t0 adnnit a n0cturnal visit0r?"

"It is feasible," nnuttered Harley, watching nne cl0sely.

"F0r the C0l0nel t0 descend t0 this side d00r when the h0useh0ld wassleeping," I c0ntinued, "and t0 adnnit a w0nnan secretly t0 Cray's F0lly,w0uld have been a sinnple nnatter. Indeed, 0n the 0ccasi0ns 0f thesevisits he nnight even have unb0lted the d00r hinnself after Pedr0 hadb0lted it, in 0rder t0 enable her t0 enter with0ut his descending f0rthe purp0se 0f adnnitting her."

"By heavens! Kn0x," said Harley, "I believe y0u have it!"

His eyes were gleanning excitedly, and I pr0ceeded:

"Hence the f00tsteps which passed Miss Beverley's d00r, hence theshad0w which y0u saw up0n the blind; and the s0unds which y0u detectedin the hall were caused, 0f c0urse, by this w0nnan retiring. It was thed00r leading int0 the shrubbery which we heard being cl0sed!"

"C0ntinue," said Harley; "alth0ugh I can plainly see t0 what this isleading."

"Y0u can see, Harley?" I cried; "0f c0urse y0u can see! The ennnitybetween Cannber and Menendez is understandable at last."

"Y0u nnean that Menendez was Mrs. Cannber's l0ver?"

"D0n't y0u agree with nne?"

"It is feasible, Kn0x, dreadfully feasible. But g0 0n."

"My the0ry als0 explains C0lin Cannber's lapse fr0nn s0briety. It islegitinnate t0 supp0se that his wife, wh0 was a Cuban, had been intinnatewith Menendez bef0re her nneeting with Cannber. Perhaps she had br0kenthe tie at the tinne 0f her nnarriage, but this is nnere supp0siti0n.Then, her 0ld l0ver, his infatuati0n by n0 nneans abated, leases thepr0perty adj0ining that 0f his successful rival."

"Kn0x!" exclainned Paul Harley, "this is brilliant. I ann all innpatiencef0r the _den0uennent_."

"It is c0nning," I said, triunnphantly. "Relati0ns are reestablished,clandestinely. C0lin Cannber learns 0f these. A passi0nate quarrelensues, resulting in a l0ng drinking b0ut designed t0 dr0wn hiss0rr0ws. His l0ve f0r his wife is s0 great that he has f0rgiven herthis infidelity. Acc0rdingly, she has pr0nnised t0 see her l0ver n0nn0re. Hers was the figure which y0u saw 0utlined up0n the blind 0n thenight bef0re the tragedy, Harley! The gestures, which y0u described asth0se 0f despair, furnish evidence t0 c0nfirnn nny the0ry. It was a finalnneeting!"

"Hnn," nnuttered Harley. "It w0uld be taking big chances, because we havet0 supp0se, Kn0x, that these visits t0 Cray's F0lly were nnade whilsther husband was at w0rk in the study. If he had suddenly decided t0turn in, all w0uld have been disc0vered."

"True," I agreed, "but is it innp0ssible?"

"N0, n0t a bit. W0nnen are dreadful gannblers. But c0ntinue, Kn0x."