"Of course, I take your meaning, Mr.Brereton.
Naturally, you'd think that a man of his profession would make enemies.
No doubt there must be a good many persons who'd have been glad--had he still been alive--to have had their knives into him.

Oh, yes! But--unfortunately, I don't know of 'em, sir." "Never heard him speak of anybody who was likely to cherish revenge, eh ?" asked Brereton.
"Never, sir! Kitely, deceased," remarked Pett, meditatively, "was not given to talking of his professional achievements.

I happen to know that he was concerned in some important cases in his time--but he rarely, if ever, mentioned them to me.

In fact, I may say, gentlemen," he continued in a palpable burst of confidence, "I may say, between ourselves, that I'd had the honour of Mr.K.'s acquaintance for some time before ever I knew what his line of business had been! Fact!" "A close man, eh ?" asked Brereton.
"One of the very closest," replied Pett.

"Yes, you may say that, sir." "Not likely to let things out, I suppose ?" continued Brereton.
"Not he! He was a regular old steel trap, Kitely was--shut tight!" said Pett.
"And--I suppose you've no theory, no idea of your own about his murder ?" asked Brereton, who was watching the little man closely.