"Well," he remarked at last, "if that's so, it seems to establish two
facts--first, that the murderer is some man who lives in this
neighbourhood, and second, that he's an expert in poisons."
"Right, sir!" agreed Ayscough. "Quite right. And it would, of course,
establish another--the innocence of your friend, Lauriston."
Purdie smiled.
"I never had any doubt of that," he said.
"Between ourselves, neither had I," remarked Ayscough heartily. "I told
our people that I, personally, was convinced of the young fellow's
complete innocence from the very first--and it was I who found him in the
shop. It's a most unfortunate thing that he was there, and a sad
coincidence that those rings of his were much of a muchness with the rings
in the tray in the old man's parlour--but I've never doubted him. No,
sir!--I believe all this business goes a lot deeper than that! It's no
common affair--old Daniel Multenius was attacked by somebody--somebody!--
for some special reason--and it's going to take a lot of getting at. And
I'm convinced this Parslett affair is a development--Parslett's been
poisoned because he knew too much.
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