Page:Fletcher - The Mortover Grange Affair.pdf/199

 of course, ma'am?" he asked suddenly turning on Miss Tandy.

"Mine!" shrieked Miss Tandy. "Good heavens, man, what are you talking about? I should think it isn't mine! Of course it isn't!"

"Some people keep a thing like this for chopping their firewood," explained Wedgwood. "I thought you might have had such a thing. Well, there's one thing certain, the—the murderer brought this with him! Therefore, he'd been carrying it about. With what object? To use it on John Wraypoole when the chance occurred. That's flat!"

"He could carry that in an overcoat pocket," observed the inspector. "Easy!"

"Oh, easy enough!" agreed Wedgwood. "It all fits in with what I've always said. Wraypoole was followed to this building by the murderer, who probably hung about when Wraypoole entered. When Miss Tandy went out the murderer came in, found Wraypoole alone in this room, struck him down, seized the manuscript, dropped this thing behind that bureau and made off before Miss Tandy could return. That's it!"

He picked up a newspaper from the floor and began to fold the billhook in it, Miss Tandy watching its disappearance with fascinated eyes.