"I size it up this way," he began with a resentful glance at Kent who had dropped back in his chair again."Rochester knew his friend had heart disease and that his sudden death would be attributed to it - so he took a sporting chance and administered a fatal dose of aconitine.""How was it done?" asked Clymer.
"Just slipped the poison into the glass of water he handed to Turnbull in the court room," explained Ferguson, and glanced in triumph at Kent."Neat, wasn't it?"Kent regarded the detective, his mind in a whirl.His theory was certainly plausible, but - "Have you other evidence to prove, your theory?" he asked.
"Yes." Ferguson checked off his points on his fingers."Remember how insistent Mr.Rochester was that Turnbull had died from angina pectoris?""I do," acknowledged Clymer, deeply interested."Continue, Ferguson."The detective needed no second bidding.
"Another point," he began."There never would have been a post-mortem examination if Miss Helen McIntyre hadn't asked for it.She knew of the ill-feeling between the men and suspected foul play on Rochester's part.""Wait," commanded Kent."Has Miss McIntyre substantiated that statement?""Not yet," admitted Ferguson."I stopped at her house, but the butler said the young ladies had retired and could not see any one." Kent, who had called there on the way to keep his dinner engagement with Clymer, had been met with the same statement, to his bitter disappointment.He most earnestly desired to see the twins and to see them together, to make one more effort to induce them to confide in him; for that they had some secret trouble he was convinced; he longed to be of aid, but his hands were tied through lack of information.
"Don't imply motives to Miss McIntyre's act until you have verified them, Ferguson," he cautioned."Go on with your theories.""One moment," Clymer broke into the conversation."Did Rochester tell you, Ferguson, that he had recognized Turnbull in his burglar disguise?""No, sir; I never had an opportunity to ask him, for he disappeared Tuesday night and has not been seen or heard of since," Ferguson rejoined.
"Hold on," Kent checked him with an impatient gesture."I had a telegram from Rochester this morning, stating he was in Cleveland.""I didn't forget about the telegram," retorted Ferguson."It was to consult you about that, that I hunted you up to-night.That telegram was bogus.""What!" Kent half rose from his chair.
"Yes.After the inquest I called Cleveland on the long distance, talked with the City Club officials and with Police Headquarters;all declared that Rochester was not there, and no trace could be found of his having ever arrived in the city."Clymer laid down his half smoked cigar and stared at the detective.
"You think then that Rochester has bolted?" he asked.
"It looks that way," insisted Ferguson."How about it, Mr.Kent?"The question was put with a touch of arrogance.
Kent did not reply immediately.Every fact that Ferguson had brought out fitted the situation, and Rochester's disappearance added color to the detective's charges.Why was he hiding unless from guilty motives, and where had he gone? Kent shook a bewildered head.
"It is plausible," he conceded, "but, after all, only circumstantial evidence.""Well, circumstantial evidence is good enough for me to work on,"retorted Ferguson."On discovering that the telegram from Cleveland was a hoax, I concluded Ferguson might be lurking around Washington and so sent a description of him to the different precincts and secured a search warrant.""You did?"
"Yes.Armed with it I visited Mr.Rochester's apartment, but couldn't find a clew to his present whereabouts," admitted Ferguson.
"So then I went to your office, Mr.Kent, and ransacked the firm's safe.""Confound you!" Kent leaned forward in his wrath and shook his fist at the detective."What right had you to do such a thing?""The search warrant covered it," explained Ferguson."I could look through your safe, Mr.Kent, because Rochester was your senior partner and you shared the office together; I was within the law.""Perhaps you were," Kent controlled his anger with an effort."But I had told you I did not know Rochester's whereabouts before Ishowed you the Cleveland telegram, which you claim is bogus.""It's bogus, all right," insisted the detective."I thought it just possible I might find some paper which would give me a clew to Rochester's hiding place, so I went through the safe.""How did you get it open?" asked Kent.
"I found it open."
Kent leapt to his feet."You - found - it open! "- he stammered.
"Why, man, I locked that safe securely just before I left the office at six o'clock."Sure?"
Absolutely certain."
"Were you alone?"
