e."

"There is no need for Lord Garvington to excuse himself," spoke up
Silver, attempting to enlist the little man on his side by defending
him. "It was proved at the inquest, as you have admitted, Mr. Lambert,
that he only fired the first shot."

"And you fired the second."

"I never did. I was inside and in bed. I only came down with the rest of
the guests when I heard the firing. Is that not so, my lord?"

"Yes," admitted Garvington grudgingly. "So far as I know you had nothing
to do with the second shot."

Silver turned a relieved face toward Lambert. "I shall confess this
much, sir," he said, trying to speak calmly and judicially. "Pine
treated me badly by taking my toy inventions and by giving me very
little money. When I was staying at The Manor I learned that Lord
Garvington had also been treated badly by Pine. He said if we could get
money that we should go shares. I knew that Pine was jealous of his
wife, and that you were at the cottage here, so I suggested that, as
Lord Garvington could imitate handwriting, he should forge a letter
purporting to come from Lady Agnes to you, saying that she intended to
elope on a certain night. Also I told Lord Garvington to talk a great
deal about shooting burglars, so as to give color to his shooting Pine."

"It was arranged to shoot him, then?"

"No, it wasn't," cried Garvington, glaring at Silver. "All we wanted to
do was to break Pine's arm or leg so that he might be laid up in The
Manor."

"Yes, that is so," said Silver feverishly, and nodding. "I fancied--and
for this reason I suggested the plot--that when Pine was ill, both Lord
Garvington and myself could deal with him in an easier manner.
Also--since the business would be left in my hands--I hoped to take out
some money from various investments, and share it with Lord Garvington.
We never meant that Pine should be killed, but only reduced to weakness
so that we might force him to give us both money."

"A very ingenious plot," said Lambert grimly and wondering how much of
the story was true. "And then?"

"Then Lord Garvington wrote the letter, and when seeing Pine, I gave it
to him saying that while keeping watch on his wife--as he asked me to,"
said Silver with an emphasis which made Lambert wince, "I had
intercepted the letter. Pine was furious, as I knew he would be, and
said that he would come to the blue door at the appointed time to
prevent the supposed elopement. I told Lord Garvington, who was re