Smith made careful notes of his answers. He was about to proceed when the door bell pealed. The native policeman returned with Gordon Rice. The promoter stamped into the room and then stopped short at the sight of the body. His eyes were red with rage as he swung at Thomas. “Well, what have you got to say for yourself?” he barked. “What have I----?” “Yes!” Rice shouted. “Don’t stand there pretending innocence! You’re not that good an actor!” “Just a minute,” intervened Smith. “I’m conducting this inquiry.” “Then it’s high time you knew the facts,” snapped Rice. He turned to us. “I always knew this man was a weakling and a rotter, but I didn’t think he was a murderer.” “I say, I say!” the actor stammered in his fright. His face was white. “You accuse this man of killing Mrs. Breese?” Smith demanded. “Yes, I do!” Now the actor looked from one to the other of us like a stricken animal. He tried to say something, but couldn’t. “On what ground?” “Here are the facts, if you want them.” “I want them very much,” Smith said. “Look here----” interrupted the actor. “You’ll have every opportunity,” Smith assured him, “to make any answer you want.” The actor slumped into a chair, keeping his eyes fixed now upon Rice, watching his every move. “I’ve just been to see Mr. Breese,” Rice began. “As you may know, I was Mrs. Breese’s business adviser and friend. I’m frank to say I never liked this man personally. I strenuously objected when Mrs. Breese said she proposed marrying him. However, I’m fair enough, I think, not to make any accusation on prejudice. I’ve got facts! And I want to present them right to his face. I don’t do anything underhanded.” The actor had risen and drawn nearer. Rice reached into his pocket and produced a sheaf of telegrams. “About a week ago, Mr. Breese came to me. We hadn’t been on very good terms since the trial, but we buried the hatchet. I told Breese to make every effort to patch things up. I felt, just as he did, that it would be a calamity for Mrs. Breese to marry this man. Breese asked me what to do. Of course, we never suspected anything like this!” He shook his head. “It’s a wonder to me I can still think straight. I’ve never had a shock like this before. Well--I advised Breese to wire a certain detective agency, the Burns people, and get all the facts on this young man. We thought if we had the facts, Dora--Mrs. Breese--would see things straight. And since we knew we were playing against time, the agency was instructed to wire us the minute they got anything. Well, they got plenty. Look at this!” Without further comment, Rice extended the following telegrams. I reproduce them herewith: HENRY BREESE SEVILLA BILTMORE HAVANA