"Well, we must only do the best we can. Do you know if there is anything like insanity in his family?" Pringle felt no little disappointment that she could not personally testify to the disease; but he was resolved to make the most of it. "I am not aware that there is anything which could be called insanity in the family. His brother is decidedly odd, and Mr. Davenport was odd at times. For instance, as I told you, he would never bring old servants into a new house. There were other little traits--some theories he had about betting on horses, and which I do not understand, but which I have been told were at least fanciful." Pringle's curiosity was aroused. Outside his profession the thing in which he took most interest was horse-racing. "I am not sure that it can be of any consequence; but if you could remember it, I should like to know what that peculiarity in betting was." "I am not quite sure," she said; "but I have an indistinct recollection he made it a rule never to bet on any horse the name of which began with a letter lower down in the alphabet than 'N.'" "Ah!" said the young solicitor, in a tone of surprise and reflection. He resolved to look this matter up when he got back to the office. He was still curious. "And may I ask if you know whether he found the system a good one? If he found it to fail oftener than to succeed, and still kept to it, one might put the persistency down to mental obliquity." Although he said this in a confident tone, the words were no sooner uttered than he began to doubt their justice, for he had known many men who adhered to a system which had nine times out of ten betrayed them. "I cannot tell you. I do not know." "If he betted heavily, you would have been likely to hear whether he won or lost. Of course when I say heavily, I don't mean that he ran any danger of crippling himself. But he must have been elated when he won and dejected when he lost?" "No. He did not bet heavily. He never seemed to care whether he won or lost. It was the system which he prized, and not the wager." Young Pringle thought this was a sure sign of a disordered mind; but he kept the opinion to himself, as he considered it more a matter of private than professional interest. He said: "I suppose Mr. Davenport could not have been in financial embarrassment owing to any betting transactions?" "I am certain he was not." "Or from any other cause?" "I am sure he was not." "This may be of the greatest value. I beg of you to believe I am asking this question solely with a view to your interest." He paused and looked earnestly at her for permission to go on. She bowed. "Have you any reason to think that the unfortunate event which has occurred might have been brought about by his own act?" She moved her hands nervously in her lap. "I am not sure that I understand you." "There is nothing in your mind which could lead you to suppose he has committed suicide?" She shuddered visibly and answered in a constrained whisper: