Page:The gold brick (1910).djvu/333

 chair, his arms across his breast, his finger-tips together. He regarded Gilman through half-closed eyes. A thoughtful observer would have said that he had heard the essential elements of the tale before. When he spoke, after a silence which had begun to annoy the private secretary, he said:

"Well, your hypothesis is tenable. In fact, it is one of the prettiest cases I ever saw put together."

Gilman stirred uneasily.

"But did you learn anything as to the identity of the person, who, if your suppositions are correct, killed Brokoski?"

"That's the weak point," Gilman promptly admitted. "A sufficient motive is utterly lacking, if we eliminate partisan hatred. It was shown that Whalen killed him in an impulse of passion, and that alone saved him from the death penalty. But I feel that my reasoning is valid. The conviction was strengthened by Whalen's manner and expression the other day. He never killed Brokoski, I tell you." Gilman smote his thigh for emphasis. "Why he chooses to die in prison a silent martyr I don't know—but the woman does."

The governor assumed a sitting posture.