as Krech who took the bull by the horns.

"_De mortuis ml nisi bonum_," he said gravely. "Otherwise, I should
say that it would be simpler to give you a list of the people who
didn't." He spared a regretful glance for Bolt's hurt little
exclamation. "I know it jars on you just now, but truth is truth.
I've seen enough in the last three days to know that Varr must have had
a host of enemies."

"Yes," said Miss Ocky. "A notable collection."

"That won't do," objected the detective. "To dislike a man is one
thing, to hate him to the point of murdering him is another."

"Greed is a motive for murder," said Krech. "Who stood to profit
financially by his death?"

Jason Bolt stirred uneasily in his seat. Miss Ocky looked
uncomfortable. Krech glanced from one to the other, then nodded to
Creighton.

"It's the same answer," he said. "A lot of people."

"Neither the question nor answer are pertinent," commented the
detective. "This murderer did not kill for money."

"Why are you so sure?" demanded Krech stubbornly.

"If he made up his mind that it would pay him to kill Simon Varr, he
would have gone to work and done it out-of-hand, skillfully or clumsily
as his limitations might permit. He wouldn't have wasted a lot of time
with ineffective fires, bugaboo masquerading--and, above all, he never
would have been so gracious as to send a warning note!" Creighton had
the satisfaction of seeing his argument score a grand slam; there was
conviction in the eyes of Krech and Jason Bolt, and something like
admiration in Miss Ocky's. "No, the motive was not mercenary whatever
else it may have been."

"There's this strike we've had on our hands," offered Jason. "I'll
swear most of the men are decent fellows, but there are always some
exceptions. They knew pretty well that Varr was the man who was
fighting them--in other words, locking them out. With him out of the
way, they knew they could count on better terms from me." He added
diffidently, "Mightn't one of them have done it?"

"I spoke of the fires just now as being ineffective," replied
Creighton. "I have gathered that they were. The second was the more
serious of the two, wasn't it?"

"Yes."

"Well, was it serious enough to cripple the business? Was it a vital
blow?"

"Not at all. The contents of the two buildings burned were worth
money, of course, but they were only reserve stuff."

"But there are buildings in the yard whose loss might have hit