Page:Fletcher - The Mortover Grange Affair.pdf/125

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THE LOST MANUSCRIPT
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probability, he was going to hand to some solicitors on behalf of the girl. That somebody also knew, or believed, that nobody but Wraypoole was aware of the secret, and accordingly followed him that evening when he went to Miss Tandy's and seized the opportunity of her absence to knock him over and seize this thing. I make no doubt that's the true theory! The only question is—who's the somebody?"

"Stiff proposition!" muttered Wedgwood. "Seen that all along—see it more than ever now that I know all I do!"

"Well, who'd suffer if this girl's claim to the property was established?" said the inspector. "This present holder of it—her cousin Philip!"

"I think we can rule him out of any list of likely murderers!" replied Wedgwood. "I can't see him in that light—no!"

"Well, there are other folks concerned," continued the inspector. "People mixed up with him in this colliery business. There's Levigne—you wanted to know something about him. I've made some enquiries. He's a man whose name is not unknown to us. Never been in actual trouble, but he was mixed up some little time ago in some very doubtful company—promoting transactions which brought under notice at headquarters. Now, if Levigne's got a big stake in this colliery