Nick told Feversham what he had discovered bearing upon the case of Arthur Mannion, from which it became clear to Feversham that Mannion was the murderer. "But though I am convinced," said he, "that the stepson is the guilty man, I am puzzled over the motive. If Mannion robbed the house and secured two thousand dollars, why should he, a few days afterward, kill Playfair to obtain less than a hundred, or, say, two hundred, taking into consideration the watch and rings?" "It is something of a puzzle," replied the detective, "but it is possible that I may arrive at a solution." "If any one can do so, you are the man," said Feversham, with conviction. "And can I be of any help to you?" "You will help me by telling me all that you know about this stepson." "I know that he is a scamp," was the emphatic response, "and I can't conceive of a reason why Playfair should desire to shield him. Hold on a bit, there is a reason. The mother, Playfair's wife. My dead friend fairly idolized her, and, perhaps, his lenity in the matter of the house-robbery may be accounted for by his regard for the memory of his deceased wife." "I think your explanation is a good one," said Nick. "In fact, I had thought of it myself." "If I could only explain the motive of the murder I would be better satisfied, Mr. Carter, but I can't." "Let me see if I can," rejoined Nick. "Mannion robbed the house, but his plunder did not consist wholly of money. He stole something else, something, I should say, of no value to any one but the original possessor. Do you know whether the robbed drawer was used as a receptacle of anything except money?" "He kept letters there." "All his letters?" "Oh, no, for the drawer would not have held them. There was a package of old letters which he kept there. I saw it often during his lifetime." "Was the package there when you examined the drawer last night?" "No. There was nothing whatever in the drawer." "Then there is a partial explanation of the motive of the murder. Those letters gave Mannion some sort of a hold, not a criminal one," Nick added quickly, as he saw Feversham's brow darken, "but a hold, in the nature of privacy, that was worth money to the robber." "But why should murder have been done, Mr. Carter? If the hold, as you characterize it, was strong, would not Playfair have recognized and responded to it?" "If I am not mistaken in my estimate of the man," replied Nick quietly, "I think he would not have responded. He knew Mannion for a double-dyed villain. He had suffered himself to be preyed upon for years. One indignity had been followed by another, until at last, in the theft of the letters, patience had ceased to be a virtue.