“My dear Mr. Goodrich,” I said, “don’t be absurd!  A man would hardly shoot his own brother, but aside from that, why should Philip Crawford kill Joseph just at the moment he is about to make a new will in Philip’s favor?  Either the destruction of the old will or the drawing of the new would result in Philip’s falling heir to the fortune.  So he would hardly precipitate matters by a criminal act.  And, too, if he had been keen about the money, he could have urged his brother to disinherit Florence Lloyd, and Joseph would have willingly done so.  He was on the very point of doing so, any way.”

“That’s true,” said Mr. Goodrich, looking chagrined but unconvinced.  “However, it frees Miss Lloyd from all doubts, by removing her motive.  As you say, she wouldn’t suppress a will in her favor, and thereby turn the fortune over to Philip.  And, as you also said, this lets Gregory Hall out, too, though I never suspected him for a moment.  But, of course, his interests and Miss Lloyd’s are identical.”

“Wait a moment,” I said, for new thoughts were rapidly following one another through my brain.  “Not so fast, Mr. District Attorney.  The disappearance of the will does not remove motive from the possibility of Miss Lloyd’s complicity in this crime—­ or Mr. Hall’s either.”

“How so?”

“Because, if Florence Lloyd thought her uncle was in possession of that will, her motive was identically the same as if he had possessed it.  Now, she certainly thought he had it, for her surprise at the news of its loss was as unfeigned as my own.  And of course Hall thought the will was among Mr. Crawford’s effects, for he has been searching constantly since the question was raised.”

“But I thought that yesterday you were so sure of Miss Lloyd’s innocence,” objected Mr. Goodrich.

“I was,” I said slowly, “and I think I am still.  But in the light of absolute evidence I am only declaring that the non-appearance of that will in no way interferes with the motive Miss Lloyd must have had if she is in any way guilty.  She knew, or thought she knew, that the will was there, in her favor.  She knew her uncle intended to revoke it and make another in her disfavor.  I do not accuse her—­I’m not sure I suspect her—­I only say she had motive and opportunity.”

As I walked away from Mr. Goodrich’s office, those words rang in my mind, motive and opportunity.  Truly they applied to Mr. Hall as well as to Miss Lloyd, although of course it would mean Hall’s coming out from the city and returning during the night.  And though this might have been a difficult thing to do secretly, it was by no means impossible.  He might not have come all the way to West Sedgwick Station, but might have dropped off the train earlier and taken the trolley.  The trolley! that thought reminded me of the transfer I had picked up on the grass plot near the office veranda.  Was it possible that slip of paper was a clue, and pointing toward Hall?