“Their general appearance seems to have been much the same, but their conduct and actions were totally unlike.  Carruthers acted fearlessly, with no attempt at concealment; while, if you will stop to think of it, of all the witnesses who tried to give a description of Carroll, not one had seen his face.  He always remained in the background, as much concealed as possible.”

“I don’t deny that you are correct,” the attorney said musingly; “and they may have been two distinct individuals, Carroll evidently being the guilty party; but even in that event, in my opinion, he was only carrying out with a skillful hand the plans already arranged by that woman and Hobson.”

“Whatever part Carroll took in the affair, he was undoubtedly Hobson’s agent; and you will find that Hobson and Mrs. LaGrange have been more intimately associated and for a much longer time than you suspect,” and Merrick repeated what he had overheard of the interview in Mrs. LaGrange’s parlor, just after the close of the inquest.

Mr. Whitney listened with deep interest.  “Well, well!  And you heard her accuse him of being an accessory?  Of course she referred to the murder.  By George!  I should have wanted them arrested on the spot!”

After a slight pause, he continued.  “There’s one thing, Merrick, in the conduct of Carruthers which I don’t understand.  Why, after telling the secretary that he would remain at the Arlington for the next two or three days, should he return to the city the next morning on the 3.10 train?”

“He seems to have been an impulsive man, who acted on the spur of the moment,” Merrick answered; “but the strangest part of that is, that he did not return to the city at all.  He bought a ticket for New York, but the conductor informs me there was no such man on board; while the north-bound train, which pulls out about five minutes later, had a passenger answering exactly to his description.  The conductor on the latter train also informed me that, just as they were pulling out of the station, a man, tall and dark, rather good-looking, he should judge, though he could not see his face, and wearing a long, light overcoat, sprang aboard, decidedly winded, as though from running, and immediately steered for the darkest corner of the smoking-car, where he sat with his hat well drawn down over his face.”

“Carroll again, by George!” exclaimed the attorney.

“Here is a problem for you to solve,” Merrick continued, pointing to the revolver and box lying side by side.  “You think Brown threw those in the lake.  Who was the man that Brown saw standing beside the lake just before three o’clock in the morning, and what was he doing?  He was tall and dark, and wore a long coat or ulster.  Was that Carroll or Carruthers?  Did he throw anything into the lake?  And if so, what?”

Mr. Whitney gazed dubiously at the detective for a moment, then began to whistle softly, while he slowly shook his head.