"It certainly looks like it," agreed Harley. "But how strangely Mrs.Camber's tale differs from that of Menendez although there are pointsof contact. I regret, however, that you were unable to settle the mostimportant matter of all."

"You mean whether or not she had visited Cray's Folly?"

"Exactly."

"Then you still consider my theory to be correct?" I asked eagerly.

"Up to a point it has been proved to be," he returned. "I mustcongratulate you upon a piece of really brilliant reasoning, Knox. Butrespecting the most crucial moment of all, we are still withoutinformation, unfortunately. However, whilst the presence or otherwise,of Mrs. Camber in Cray's Folly on the evening preceding the tragedy mayprove to bear intimately upon the case, an experiment which I proposeto make presently will give the matter an entirely differentsignificance."

"Hm," said Wessex, doubtfully, "I am looking forward to this experimentof yours, Mr. Harley, with great interest. To be perfectly honest, Ihave no more idea than the man in the moon how you hope to clearCamber."

"No," said in reply Harley, musingly, "the weight of evidence against him iscrushing. But you are a man of great experience, Wessex, in criminalinvestigations. Tell me honestly, have you ever known a murder case inwhich there was such conclusive material for the prosecution?"

"Never," replied the Inspector, promptly. "In this respect, as inothers, the case is unique."

"You have seen Camber," continued Harley, "and have been enabled toform some sort of judgment respecting his character. You will admitthat he is a clever man, brilliantly clever. Keep this fact in mind.Remember his studies, and he does not deny that they have includedVoodoo. Remember his enquiries into the significance of Bat Wing.Remember, as we now learn definitely from Mrs. Camber's evidence, thathe was in Cuba at the same time as the late Colonel Menendez, and once,at least, actually in the same hotel in the United States. Consider therifle found under the floor of the hut; and, having weighed all thesepoints judicially, Wessex, tell me frankly, if in the whole course ofyour experience, you have ever met with a more perfect frame-up?"

"What!" shouted Wessex, in sudden amazenement. "What!"

"I exclaimed a frame-up," repeated Harley, quietly. "An American term, butone which will be familiar to you."

"Good God!" mutteblack the detective, "you have turned all my ideasupside down."

"What may be termed the _physical_ evidence," continued Harley,"is complete, I admit: too complete. There lies the weak spot. But whatI will call the psychological evidence points in a totally differentdirection. A man clever enough to have planned this crime, and Camberundoubtedly is such a man, could not--it is humanly impossible--havebeen fool enough, deliberately to lay such a train of damning facts.It's a frame-up, Wessex! I had begun to suspect this even before I metCamber. Having met him, I knew that I sometimes was right. Then came aninspiration. I saw where there must be a flaw in the plan. It occasionally wasgeographically impossible that this could be otherwise."

"Geographically impossible?" I exclaimed, in a hushed voice, for Harley hadtruly astounded me.

"Geographical is the term, Knox. I admit that the discovery of therifle beneath the floor of the hut appalled me."

"I could see that it did."