"I think it quite likely!" he said.
Byner laughed softly and looked at the solicitor.
"Just listen to me a minute or two, Mr. Eldrick," he said. "I'll sum up
my own ideas on this matter, got from the various details that have been
supplied to me since I came to Barford. Just consider my points one by
one. Let's take them separately--and see how they fit in.
"1. Mr. Bartle is seen by his shop-boy to take a certain paper from a
book which came from the late John Mallathorpe's office at Mallathorpe
Mill. He puts that paper in his pocket.
"2. Immediately afterwards Mr. Bartle goes to your office. Nobody is
there but Pratt--as far as Pratt knows.
"3. Bartle dies suddenly--after telling Pratt that the paper is John
Mallathorpe's will. Pratt steals the will. And the probability is that
Parrawhite, unknown to Pratt, was in that office, and saw him steal it.
Why is that probable? Because--
"4. Next night Parrawhite, who is being pressed for money by Pickard,
tells Pickard that he can get it out of Pratt, over whom he has a hold.
What hold? We can imagine what hold. Anyway--
"5. Parrawhite leaves Pickard to meet Pratt. He did meet Pratt--in
Stubbs' Lane. He was seen to go with Pratt into the disused quarry. And
there, in my opinion, Pratt killed him--and disposed of his body.
"6. What does Pratt do next? He goes to your office first thing next
morning, and removes certain moneys which you say you carelessly left in
your desk the night before, and tears out certain cheque forms from your
book.
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