Page:The Millbank Case - 1905 - Eldridge.djvu/157

 he affirmed; "and an arrest would down him forever. Oh, yes, I know you bring in a motive in a petty fuss that occurred on Sunday—a thing that might happen anywhere and to any one. A man going to see his girl gets miffed because he has to harness a horse and is impertinent, and you conclude that that's reason for his shooting his employer. It's against all reason and common sense, and I won't insult my intelligence by considering it."

"Most murders are against reason and common sense," said the detective; "at least, that's my experience, and more than that, nine murders out of ten are for absolutely trivial causes. Before you get through with this case, you'll see Oldbeg arrested, or I'll miss my guess."

"Well, I shan't be responsible for it," the other retorted.

Thwarted in this part of his search, Cranston turned his attention to tracing Wing's mother, to which both Hunter and the Matthewsons appeared to attach considerable importance—more, in fact, than he could find in it. Confessedly, it was a cover