“Stop a moment,” Nick interrupted. “You have just said, Patsy, that crooks could not have forced Darling to feign despondency for eight consecutive weeks. If so, then, his despondency must either have been voluntarily feigned, or else it must have been genuine.” “Sure thing, chief. That’s plain enough.” “One fact, however, indicates that it was not genuine,” Nick proceeded. “I refer to the fact that he recently spent many evenings in town, far more than in the past. His wife thinks he sought diversion to relieve his depression. He did not, however, permit her to accompany him. That’s a very significant point. “It is wholly inconsistent in a husband seeking such relief. He would have wanted his wife with him to cheer him up and help divert his mind--barring one contingency.” “Namely, chief?” “Another attraction.” “Gee! there may be something in that,” said Patsy, quick to see the point. “You mean another woman.” “Exactly.” “Kate Crandall.” “Quite likely, Patsy, in view of what Danny discovered.” “Gee whiz! things are shaping up,” said Patsy, laughing. “I begin to think you are right, chief.” “Let’s see, now, in how far this is confirmed by Darling’s conduct during the past three months,” said Nick. “It was then that his wife first noticed his reticence and lack of customary affection.” “He must have been bestowing it upon the other.” “Quite likely,” Nick dryly agreed. “Then came a long period of increasing depression, relieved by frequent evenings in town, ostensibly alone. Later he sold his business, also his bonds and securities. Obviously, he wanted all of his funds in cash. Finally came the suicide, the letter stating his intention, and the burning of the boathouse, which nearly consumed the corpse and precluded absolute identification.” “By Jove, Nick, you evidently think the whole business was faked,” said Chick abruptly. “That is precisely what I think.” “And that Cyrus Darling is not dead?” “Exactly.” “But the body----” “One obtained for a blind,” Nick interrupted. “Really, Chick, this entire combination of circumstances admits of no other conclusion. Darling’s conduct during the past three months, as I have just sized it up: the selection of the boathouse for the supposed suicide, where the arrangements for such a fraud could have been easily and secretly made, as well as a quick and undetected get-away on the river after the trick was turned; the setting fire to the building in order to cremate the corpse and preclude identification except by means of articles placed on it, the garments, ring, and even the false teeth of the supposed victim--all point to one conclusion, Chick; that the job was a frame-up from beginning to end.” “By Jove, it’s a curious case, Nick, if you are right,” Chick answered. “Not so very curious. It’s a case of a lost head.” “A lost head?” “Exactly. That of a man who has lost his head. It’s up to us to help him find it and set it back on his shoulders--if not too late.”