Page:Burton Stevenson--The marathon mystery.djvu/337

Rh was only the freshest line at the bottom of the paper that left these marks.”

“But did Tremaine have a sample of Miss Croydon’s writing?”

“There’s no reason to think he didn’t have; but if he didn’t, he could no doubt have found plenty of samples among Drysdale’s things. He’s probably an adept at forgery as well as at most other branches of crime.”

“All right; go ahead,” I said.

“Tremaine writes the note and leaves it in Drysdale’s room,” continued Godfrey. “Then he opens the trunk and secures the revolver. Perhaps he knew the revolver was there and perhaps he didn’t. If he hadn’t found it, he’d probably have taken something else belonging to Drysdale for a weapon.

“Having secured the revolver, he returns to his room by way of the balcony. What passed in the early part of the evening you already know. Drysdale goes to keep the rendezvous at the pergola, starting early, because the house, with Tremaine in it, has become unbearable to him. He stops for a chat with Graham, which the latter’s son overhears, and then goes on to the pergola, which is quite at the other end of the grounds from the boathouse.

“Meanwhile, Tremaine has spent the early part of the evening talking with Delroy and Miss Croydon. At last he goes to his room on the pretence of writing letters, gets the revolver, lets himself down by the vine, and starts for the pier. He enters the boathouse softly, feels his way to the cot, whose position he has already seen, and carefully administers the chloroform.