I answered therefore, as composedly as I could, that "I could have no
serious grudge against Sir Philip, whom I had never seen before that
evening; that the words which applied to my supposed grudge were lightly
said by Sir Philip, in reference to a physiological dispute on matters
connected with mesmerical phenomena; that the deceased had declared his
casket, which he had shown me at the mayor's house, contained drugs of
great potency in medicine; that I had asked permission to test those drugs
myself; and that when I said he would repent of his refusal, I merely
meant that he would repent of his reliance on drugs not warranted by the
experiments of professional science."

My replies seemed to satisfy the lawyer so far, but "how could I aceount
for the casket and the knife being found in my room?"

"In no way but this; the window of my study is a door-window opening on
the lane, from which any one might enter the room. I was in the habit,
not only of going out myself that way, but of admitting through that door
any more familiar private acquaintance."

"Whom, for instance?"

I hesitated a moment, and then said, with a significance I could not
forbear, "Mr. Margrave! He would know the locale perfectly; he would
know that the door was rarely bolted from within during the daytime: he
could enter at all hours; he could place, or instruct any one to deposit,
the knife and casket in my bureau, which he knew I never kept locked; it
contained no secrets, no private correspondence,--chiefly surgical
implements, or such things as I might want for professional experiments."

"Mr. Margrave! But you cannot suspect him--a lively, charming young man,