inquest, when they looked round to see what all the old man's
heirs had been doing that night--you who testified to having
dropped in and found me at my desk as usual. . . . I thought
THAT would appeal to your journalistic sense if nothing else
would!"

Denver smiled. "Oh, my journalistic sense is still susceptible
enough--and the idea's picturesque, I grant you: asking the man
who proved your alibi to establish your guilt."

"That's it--that's it!" Granice's laugh had a ring of triumph.

"Well, but how about the other chap's testimony--I mean that
young doctor: what was his name? Ned Ranney. Don't you remember
my testifying that I'd met him at the elevated station, and told
him I was on my way to smoke a pipe with you, and his saying:
'All right; you'll find him in. I passed the house two hours
ago, and saw his shadow against the blind, as usual.' And the
lady with the toothache in the flat across the way: she
corroborated his statement, you remember."

"Yes; I remember."

Well, then?"

"Simple enough. Before starting I rigged up a kind of mannikin
with old coats and a cushion--something to cast a shadow on the
blind. All you fellows were used to seeing my shadow there in
the small hours--I counted on that, and knew you'd take any vague
outline as mine."