you know him--has
promised to secure the attendance of anyone whom I can show to be a
material witness in the case. Come on, gentlemen: I'll answer your other
questions on the train."

As we settled ourselves in the smoker, Whitney remarked in a low voice,
"You know, someone has said that there is only one thing more difficult
to investigate and solve than a crime whose commission is surrounded
by complicated circumstances and that is a crime whose perpetration is
wholly devoid of circumstances."

"Are you so sure that this crime is wholly devoid of circumstances?"
asked Craig.

"Professor," he replied, "I'm not sure of anything in this case. If I
were I should not require your assistance. I would like the credit of
solving it myself, but it is beyond me. Just think of it: so far we
haven't a clue, at least none that shows the slightest promise, although
we have worked night and day for a week. It's all darkness. The facts
are so simple that they give us nothing to work on. It is like a blank
sheet of paper."

Kennedy said nothing, and the district attorney proceeded: "I don't
blame Mr. Nott, the coroner, for thinking it an accident. But to
my mind, some master criminal must have arranged this very baffling
simplicity of circumstances. You recall that the front door was
unlocked. This person must have entered the house unobserved, not a
difficult thing to do, for the Wainwright house is somewhat isolated.
Perhaps this person brought along some poison in the form of a beverage,
and induced the two victims to drink. And then, this person must have
removed the evidences as swiftly as they were brought in and by the same
door. That, I think, is the only solution."

"That is not the only solution. It is one solution," interrupted Kennedy
quietly.

"Do you think someone in the house did it?" I asked quickly.

"I think," replied Craig, carefully measuring his words, "that if poison
was given them it must have been by someone they both knew pretty well."

No one said a word, until at last I broke the silence. "I know from the
gossip of the Star office that many Williston people say that Marian was
very jealous of her sister Laura for capturing the catch of the season.
Williston people don't hesitate to hint at it."

Whitney produced another document from that fertile green bag. It was
another affidavit. He handed it to us. It was a statement signed by Mrs.
Wainwright, and read:

"Before God, my daughter Marian is