Steel's notepaper
was abandoned. Subsequently, as you have just told me, the note-paper
came in useful after all. Henson knew that Steel would be out that night.
And, therefore, Van Sneck is deliberately lured to Steel's house to be
murdered there."
"I see," Chris said, faintly. "This had never occurred to me before.
Murdered, by whom?"
"By whom? Why, by Reginald Henson, of course."
Just for a moment Chris felt as if all the world was slipping away
under her feet.
"But how could he do it?" she asked.
"Quite easily. And throw all the blame on Mr. Steel. Look at the evidence
he had ready to his hand against the latter. The changed cigar-case would
come near to hang a man. And Van Sneck was in the way. Steel goes out to
meet you or some of your friends. All his household are in bed. As a
novelist he comes and goes as he likes and nobody takes any heed. He goes
and leaves his door on the latch. Any money it is the common latch they
put on thousands of doors. Henson lets himself into the house and coolly
waits Van Sneck's coming. The rest you can imagine."
Chris had no reply for a moment or two.
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