“She could frame up a plausible reason to visit the priest, perhaps, and take a chance that she could save Garland by doing so,” Nick went on. “This is consistent with her recent appeals to him, and she would have been eager to do him such a service. She went out to expose the whole business to Father Cleary, I think, and was probably seen and followed by Margate and his confederates. They afterward killed the priest and got away with the girl, that nothing should prevent their getting the money expected from Garland.” “But how do you account for the letter written by the girl?” “She was lured into writing it.” “When?” “That very evening, Chick, after Margate learned that she was wise to his game,” Nick continued to explain. “She probably did not know that he had discovered the fact and suspected that she might expose him.” “I see.” “He paved the way to further incriminate Garland, therefore, bent upon making a sure thing of bleeding him out of this money. He wrapped his hand with a bandage, pretending that he had sprained it, and got the girl to write the letter, she supposing it was for him.” “That’s quite obvious, of course.” “Lottie Trent probably consented, not thinking of Garland’s given name, in which the letter was addressed, nor of the covert significance of the letter. Margate did not ask her to sign it, of course, which explains why a few fragments of the bottom of the sheet could not be found where I found the others.” “I see the point,” Chick said thoughtfully. “You may be right.” “It is further confirmed by another bit of evidence.” “What is that?” “The bandage I found on the rectory veranda,” said Nick. “It bore no evidence of having been bound around a wound, or sprain. Plainly enough, nevertheless, it had been wrapped around the left hand of a man.” “And you deduce from that?” “Something quite suggestive,” said Nick, smiling. “I happen to know that Andy Margate is left-handed.” “By Jove, that is doubly significant,” Chick declared. “Did you recall that when making your investigations?” “No. Not until I talked with Senator Barclay and learned about Garland.” “You suspect, then, that the girl was heard confiding in the priest.” “Exactly.” “And that she was abducted after leaving the rectory, and the priest afterward killed.” “Precisely.” “And that Garland was afterward lured to that locality, and this torn letter dropped in the opposite lots in order to so incriminate him, apparently, that he would be helplessly in the power of these rascals.” “That is my theory, Chick, and I’ll bank on its being very close to the truth,” Nick nodded. “Gee! my money goes with yours, chief,” said Patsy. “I wish I could place a real bet on it, instead of only a mental wager.” “I think you would win,” Nick said a bit dryly. Chick straightened up in his chair. “Have you confided all of these points to Garland?” he asked abruptly.