In the presence of their beloved dead, this man's unsympathetic attitude seemed almost a profanation.

The policeman, in passing through the office on his way to the door, had let drop the remark that murder had been committed, yet none of the employes could bring himself to believe that an alien hand had fired the mortal bullet.

No visitor had entered Whitmore's office; none of the clerks had been within.

Who could have done it?
The coroner called one of the clerks who had sat within a dozen feet of the door all morning.
"Did you see anyone enter the office ?" he asked.
"No, sir," the clerk replied.
"Could anyone have entered without passing you or without your noticing him ?" "Absolutely not." "Did you hear the shot fired ?" "I didn't hear a sound after Mr.Whitmore entered the office." "And your hearing--is it good ?" "Perfect." After putting the same questions to half a dozen other clerks and obtaining similar answers, Coroner Hart decided to save time by addressing himself to the employes in general.
"If anyone saw any person enter that office this morning or heard a shot, let him come forward," he called.
The men stood mute, eyeing one another expectantly, each hoping someone else might have valuable information to offer.

The hush finally was broken by a shuffling of feet as two strangers thrust their way through the crowd and ranged themselves on either side of the coroner.
One of the newcomers, the less heavily built of the two, compelled immediate attention by reason of his personality.