CROSBY.  Nonsense.  Don’t talk like a fool.  You’d live here with me and your mother—­and your wife, of course.

DONOHUE.  I think perhaps we’d better defer that discussion, gentlemen. (He turns toward HELEN.) And this young lady?

WILLIAM.  My fiancee, Miss O’Neill.

DONOHUE.  Well, that finishes that. (Rises, standing below table R.)

MISS EASTWOOD.  But, Inspector, you haven’t asked anything about the medium?

DONOHUE.  Perhaps I don’t consider that necessary, Miss Eastwood.

MISS EASTWOOD.  But—­

DONOHUE.  And I’m terribly set on conducting this investigation in my own way, if you don’t mind.

(Enter DUNN from L.C.)

DUNN.  Inspector!

DONOHUE.  Well?

DUNN (at door L.C.).  I can’t tell for sure, but I guess the knife went clean into the heart.  He must have died instantly.

DONOHUE.  All right.  Let me know when the Coroner arrives. (DUNN starts toward door down L.) And, Dunn!

DUNN.  Yes, sir.

DONOHUE (going C.).  You’d better let me have a look at that knife.

(DUNN turns sharply and looks at him.)

DUNN (down L.).  The knife?

DONOHUE.  Yes, the knife.

DUNN.  I haven’t seen any knife.  I thought you had it.

DONOHUE.  No.  I haven’t seen it. (There is a long pause. DONOHUE is
R. of CROSBY.) Mr. Crosby?

CROSBY (still L.C.).  We didn’t find it.

DONOHUE.  Look carefully?

CROSBY.  Everywhere.  While we were waiting for you.

DONOHUE.  Who moved Mr. Wales’ body?

CROSBY.  I did.

DONOHUE.  No one else touched him?

CROSBY.  No one.

DONOHUE.  What did you do, after you had carried him to the sofa?

CROSBY.  I saw that he had been stabbed.  I looked for the knife.

DONOHUE.  Where?

CROSBY.  On the floor, under the stairs, everywhere I could think of.

DONOHUE.  No trace of it?

CROSBY.  None.

DONOHUE.  What did you do then?

CROSBY.  Nothing.  I waited for you.

DONOHUE.  How long after you found that Mr. Wales was killed did you turn on the lights?

CROSBY.  Why, I told you; we turned on the light before we found what had happened.

DONOHUE.  Would it have been possible for the murderer to have hidden it about the room?

CROSBY.  I doubt it very much.

DONOHUE.  Why?

CROSBY.  I don’t think there would have been time.  I don’t see how anyone could have done it at all.  It’s all a mystery to me.  I told you the circle was intact.  You remember?

(There is a pause.)

DONOHUE.  Yes, I remember.  Then if the knife was hidden, it’s probably on the person of the man or woman who used it.