XXI FLEMING STONE’S THEORY––––––––
ALONE in the library, Fleming Stone and Detective Hardy were in counsel.
“I’m going to show you this thing as I see it, Mr. Hardy,” said Stone. “I frankly admit it’s all theory, I haven’t a particle of human testimony to back it, but it seems to me the only solution that will fit all points of the mystery. And I shall ask you to consider it confidential for the present, until I can corroborate it by unmistakable proofs.”
Hardy nodded assent, his eyes fixed on the speaker in a sort of fascination.
This young detective had not been at all idle of late, but his work had amounted to nothing definite, and though he was himself convinced that Pauline Stuart was responsible for her aunt’s death, he seldom exploited that view before Stone, having learned that
