“Why did Victor arrange the position of the body that way, and place the pistol under the hand?” “To suggest suicide, and to shield the assassin. When the suicide theory would not hold, he was willing to be thought guilty rather than say a word to throw suspicion on the person he firmly believes killed Estelle Langdon.” “What person?” “You. He believes you shot her from your position across the street and fled. The position of the body, and the wound, certainly gave that impression; for who could believe that the assassin would take a position in front of a public window to fire the shot?” “And he did this--for me?” “Can a man prove his love more completely?” Mrs. Lock let her face fall into her hands, while the hot tears trickled from between her fingers, and she sobbed: “Oh, Victor, Victor!” Nick let her alone in her weeping. When she finally dried her eyes and looked up, he asked: “Have you--do you own a pistol, Mrs. Lock?” “Yes.” “And had it with you this afternoon?” “Yes. How did you know?” “Shrewdly guessed it. Redway knew you had it?” “He did?” Mrs. Lock’s face flushed, and Nick did not ask her to tell him how Redway knew it. He took Redway’s pistol from his pocket, and showed it to her. “Is your pistol like this?” “It is a duplicate. Victor bought the two at the same time. Mine has his initials on it, and his has mine.” “Then he thought there would be no danger of the bullet and his pistol not corresponding,” smiled Nick. “Who could the disguised assassin have been?” “Can’t you guess?” “I guess? Why, who do I know--surely not----” “Yes. Oscar Gay.” “Merciful Heaven! What was his object?” “First, to get rid of a wife.” “A wife?” “He and your cousin, I think we’ll find, were privately married. By fixing the crime on Redway, he would remove your husband. In that way he expected to free himself and you, and make his marriage with you easy.” “But I never would have married him.” “Don’t be too sure.” “I didn’t love him.” “But you loved your child?” “Yes, yes!” “I am willing to risk my professional reputation on the guess that he has the little girl’s whereabouts in his possession, and would have used her to get your consent to become his wife.” Mrs. Lock shuddered. Just then a knock came to the door. The servant announced that Miss Ida had returned and wished to report. “Admit her,” was Nick’s command. CHAPTER X. CHICK SUPPLIES THE FINAL PROOF. Ida was introduced to Mrs. Lock, and then she proceeded to make her report. She had visited the dead girl’s boarding-place in Harlem, where she learned that Estelle was in the habit of spending the night elsewhere, occasionally at the house of an aunt somewhere in the suburbs, it was understood. She had gone away the night previous to remain with this aunt, but returned unexpectedly quite late. She told her room-mate that her aunt was not at home.