and on the man who did the
murder!" and as he spoke he reached out and by an apparently accidental
gesture, rested his hand on Langham's shoulder. "You wouldn't like to
risk any money on that little bet, eh, Marsh?" He sank back in his
chair and applied himself to his cigar in silence, but his eyes never
left Langham's face.

Presently he took the cigar from between his strong even teeth. "Now,
I'm going to give you my theory," he said. "I want to see what you think
of it--but remember always, I believe in letting well enough alone! They
got North caged in one of those nice new cells down at the jail and that
suits me all right! My theory is that the man who killed McBride was
needing money mighty badly and he went to McBride as a sort of a last
chance. He found the old fellow alone in the office--understand, he
didn't go there with any fixed purpose of killing him, his ideas had not
carried him that far--he was willing to borrow the money if the old man
would lend it to him. He probably needed quite a sum, say two or three
thousand dollars, and the need was urgent, you must keep that in mind
and then you'll see perfectly how it all happened. Possibly my man was
of the sort who don't fancy disagreeable interviews and had put off
going to the store until the last moment, but once he had settled that
point with himself he was determined he wouldn't come away without the
money. The old fellow, however, took a different view of the situation;
he couldn't see why he should lend any money, especially when the
borrower was vague on the matter of security.

"Well, I guess they talked quite a while there at the back of the
store, McBride standing in the doorway of the office all the time. At
last it got to my man that he wasn't to have the money. But there was
trouble ahead of him if he didn't get it and he wouldn't give up; he
kept on making promises--urging his need--and his willingness and
ability to meet his obligations. He was like a starving man in the
presence of food, for he knew McBride had the money in his safe and the
safe door was open. His need seemed the only need in all the world, and
it came to him that since McBride would not lend him the money he
wanted, why not take it from him anyhow? He couldn't see consequences,
he could only realize that he must have two or three thousand dollars!
Perhaps he got a glimmer of reason just here, and if he did he was
pretty badly frightened to think that he should even consid