"Have you a picture of Mr. Stannard?" he said at last. "Yes," and Joyce took a photograph from a small chest full of portraits. "This is a photograph of a painting done by himself. It was made about four years ago, but he changed little since." Ford took the card and studied it. He saw a noble head and brow, fine features, and a general air of self-appreciation that was, however, not to be called conceit. The mouth had a few weak lines about its corners, but on the whole it was the presentment of a man of genius. "Have you a photograph of the subject in life?" he asked; "not taken from a painting." "Yes, but not a recent one," replied Joyce. "Except for some little snapshots," and she put a half-dozen small pictures in the hands of the detective. "Better yet," Ford said, and he carefully scrutinized the papers. But all the pictures of Eric Stannard gave the same impression of power, self-confidence and dominance. XVIII Questions and Answers Still studying the face of the artist, Alan Ford indicated his desire to begin the successive interviews with the members of the household. All but Barry left the room, and the young man sat down near the absorbed detective. "Your father was a handsome man," Ford said, as he laid aside the pictures. "Yes," agreed Barry. "I wish I might have been more nearly his type." "Physically, you mean?" "Yes, and mentally, too. I admit my father's moral weakness, yet he was not a bad man, as men go. His artistic temperament was responsible for his being blamed far more than was just or right." "That is probably true," said Ford, seriously. "To a man of that sensitiveness to beauty many things seemed right that were not. Now, Mr. Stannard, will you please tell me everything about the actual facts as you know them, regarding the hour or half hour in which the crime was committed? Don't shade or colour your story to shield Miss Vernon, for such a bias will only prejudice my judgment against her. Tell me exactly the events as they followed one another to your positive knowledge, and nothing more." "Very well, Mr. Ford, I will do just as you ask. But let me say this first; there are three suspects----" "Excuse me, there are four suspects." "If you count Mr. Courtenay, yes. But the three in the house, my stepmother, Miss Vernon and myself, have been definitely suspected and, probably, are still. So I want to say, that if one of us must remain under suspicion, let it be me. It is impossible that a woman did this deed. So investigate along the line of Courtenay or myself, but as I feel quite sure you can get no real evidence against him, use me for a scapegoat, while you are finding the real criminal." "Then you are not the criminal, Mr. Stannard?" "If I were, would I be apt to tell you?" "You couldn't help telling me. Not in words, but in manner, in glance, in intonation, in a dozen ways, over which you have no control." "Have I told you so?"