A little sheepishly, Corson took the number and called up Dr Weldon. The hearty response of a genial voice assured the inquirer that Mr Vail had spent the evening before with the doctor, that he had arrived late, having been to a theater, and that the two had played chess until nearly two o’clock, when Mr Vail, surprised at the lateness of the hour, had started for home. That was the extent of Dr Weldon’s information. “And quite satisfactory,” Corson said, with a relieved air. “I had to know, sir, that you weren’t with Sir Herbert. Now, I must find out who was with him,—of either sex.” “You’re all right, Corson,” Vail said; “I think you see your duty clearly, and if I can help you in any way, call on me. And, look here, don’t you let any suspicion fasten itself on Bob Moore. That chap’s all right. He’s everlastingly reading murder yarns, but he’s interested in the detective side of them, not the crime side. I wouldn’t say this, but I heard something about his being questioned and I want to stand up for him. In a general way, I mean. And as to this case, it’s very strange, I know, but don’t let its strangeness lead you into impossible theories. You know, already, that at the time of Sir Herbert Binney’s murder, Bob Moore was up at the tenth floor,—I can testify to that,——” “Now, I don’t know, Mr Vail,” and Corson looked deeply perplexed. “What you say’s true enough, but look here, we’ve only Moore’s word that he found that man dying when he came down. Suppose Sir Herbert came in and Moore stabbed him——” “And Sir Herbert wrote a paper saying it was women?” “Well, no,—but maybe Bob wrote that paper himself——” “You’re getting pretty well tangled up, Corson. Why don’t you put a handwriting expert on that paper, and see if it’s in the dead man’s fist or not?” “Good idea, Mr Vail! I never thought of it!” “Try it, and, excuse me, Corson, but I say this in all honesty, I think you’d better get some help. I believe this is a big case and a mysterious one, and it wouldn’t do you any harm to have a colleague to advise with. Do as you like, or as you’re told, but that’s how it looks to me. Now I must be off, but I’ll come home early, for I’m interested to know how things go.” “Hold on a minute, Mr Vail; you know Moore pretty well. Do you think it’s possible that he knows who did it, knows who the women are, even perhaps saw the thing done, and then helped them to get away and disposed of the weapon?” “Anything is possible, Corson, but I think what you suggest is exceedingly improbable. I know Moore only from my chats with him now and then in the elevator, and that’s all I can say. To me, anything crooked in that young man seems decidedly unlikely.” Vail went off leaving a sadly perplexed detective behind him, who felt that he didn’t know which way to turn, and was inclined to follow the advice he had received regarding a colleague.