"Mr. Gaylord, do you believe that the ghost had any connection with the robbery?"
"No, I do not."
"Do you think that the ghost had any connection with the murder of your father?"
"No!" said Radnor.
"That is all, Mr. Gaylord.—James Clancy."
At the name Radnor suddenly raised his head and half turned back as if to speak, but thinking better of it, he resumed his chair and watched the approach of the detective with an angry frown.
Clancy did not glance at Radnor, but gave his evidence in a quick incisive way which forced the breathless attention of every one in the room.
He told without interruption the story of his arrival at Four-Pools and his conclusions in regard to the ha'nt and the theft; he omitted, however, all mention of the letter.
"Am I to understand that you never made your conclusions known to Colonel Gaylord?" the coroner asked.
"No, I had been employed by him, but I thought under the circumstances it was kinder to leave him in ignorance."
"That was a generous stand to take.
I suppose you lost something in the way of a fee?"
The detective looked slightly uncomfortable over the question.
"Well, no, as it happened I didn't.
There was a sort of cousin—Mr. Crosby"—he nodded toward me—"visiting in the house and he footed the bill.
He seemed to think the young man hadn't intended to steal, and that it would be pleasanter all around if I left it for them to settle between themselves."
"I protest!" I cried. "I distinctly stated my conviction that Radnor Gaylord knew nothing of the bonds, and I paid him to get rid of him because I did not wish him troubling Colonel Gaylord with any such made-up story."
"Mr. Clancy is testifying," observed the coroner. "Now, Mr. Clancy, as I understand it, you discovered as you supposed the guilty man, and instead of going to your employer with the story and receiving your pay from him, you accepted it from the person you had accused—or at least from his friend?"
"I've explained the circumstances; it was a mere matter of accommodation."
"I suppose you know what such accommodation is called?"
"If you mean it was blackmail—that's false!
At least," he added, quickly relapsing into good nature, "it was a mighty generous kind of blackmail.
I could have got my pay fast enough from the Colonel but I didn't want to stir up trouble.
We all know that it isn't the innocent who pay blackmail," he added parenthetically.
"Do you mean to insinuate that Mr. Crosby is implicated?"
"Lord no!
He's as innocent as a lamb.
Young Gaylord was too smart for him; he hoodwinked him as well as the Colonel into believing the bonds were stolen while he was out of the house."
A smile ran around the room and the detective was excused.
I sprang to my feet.
"One moment!" I said. "I should like to ask Mr. Clancy some questions."
The young man was turned over to me, plainly against his wishes.
"What proof have you, Mr. Clancy, that the bonds were not stolen while Mr. Gaylord was out of the house?"
"Well, my investigations led me to the belief that he stole them, and that being the case, it must have been done before he left the house."
"I see!
And your investigations concerned themselves largely with a letter which you filched from Mr. Gaylord's coat pocket in the night, did they not?"
"Not entirely—the letter merely struck me as corroborative evidence, though I have since learned—"
"Mr. Clancy," I interrupted sternly, "did you not tell me at the time, that that letter was absolute proof of his guilt—yes or no?"
"I may have said so but—"
"Mr. Clancy, will you kindly repeat what was in that letter."
"It referred to some bonds; I don't know that I can recall the exact words."
"Then I must request you to read it," I returned, picking it out from a bundle of papers on the table and handing it to him. "I am sorry to take up so much time with a matter that has nothing to do with the murder," I added to the coroner, "but you yourself brought up the subject and it is only fair to hear the whole story."
He nodded permission, and ordered Clancy to read the letter.
The detective did so amidst an astonished hush.
It struck everyone as a proof of guilt, and no one could understand why I had forced it to the front.
"Now Mr. Clancy," said I, "please tell the jury Mr. Gaylord's explanation of this letter."
Clancy with a somewhat sheepish air gave the gist of what Radnor had said.
"Did you believe that story when you first heard it?" I asked.
"No," said he, "I did not, because—"
"Very well!