Twenty WE’RE IN IT—TOGETHER

Bridget sat for a minute motionless beside him. She said:
“Gordon?”
Luke nodded.
“Gordon? Gordon—a murderer? Gordon the murderer? I never heardanything so ridiculous in all my life!”
“That’s how it strikes you?”
“Yes, indeed. Why, Gordon wouldn’t hurt a fly.”
Luke said grimly:
“That may be true. I don’t know. But he certainly killed a canary bird,and I’m pretty certain he’s killed a large number of human beings aswell.”
“My dear Luke, I simply can’t believe it!”
“I know,” said Luke. “It does sound quite incredible. Why, he never evenentered my head as a possible suspect until the night before last.”
Bridget protested:
“But I know all about Gordon! I know what he’s like! He’s really a sweetlittle man—pompous, yes, but rather pathetic really.”
Luke shook his head. “You’ve got to readjust your ideas about him, Brid-get.”
“It’s no good, Luke, I simply can’t believe it! What put such an absurdidea into your head? Why, two days ago you were quite positive it was Ell-sworthy.”
Luke winced¹ slightly.
“I know. I know. You probably think that tomorrow I shall suspectThomas, and the day after I shall be convinced that it’s Horton I’m after!
I’m not really so unbalanced as that. I admit the idea’s completely startlingwhen it first comes to you, but if you look into it a bit closer, you’ll see thatit all fits in remarkably² well. No wonder Miss Pinkerton didn’t dare to goto the local authorities. She knew they’d laugh at her! Scotland Yard washer only hope.”
“But what possible motive³ could Gordon have for all this killing⁴ busi-ness? Oh, it’s all so silly!”
“I know. But don’t you realize that Gordon Whitfield has a very exaltedopinion of himself?”
Bridget said: “He pretends to be very wonderful and very important.
That’s just inferiority complex, poor lamb!”
“Possibly that’s at the root of the trouble. I don’t know. But think, Brid-get—just think a minute. Remember all the phrases you’ve used laugh-ingly yourself about him — lèse- majesté, etc. Don’t you realize that theman’s

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