CHAPTER XIII 

Four men were discussing the verdict at the adjourned inquest upon Victor Bidlake, at Soto's American Bar about a fortnight later. They were Robert Fairfax, a young actor in musical comedy, Peter Jacks, a cinema producer, Gerald Morse, a dress designer, and Sidney Voss, a musical composer and librettist, all habitues of the place and members of the little circle towards which the dead man had seemed, during the last few weeks of his life, to have become attracted. At a table a short distance away, Francis Ledsam was seated with a cocktail and a dish of almonds before him. He seemed to be studying an evening paper and to be taking but the scantiest notice of the conversation at the bar. 

"It just shows," Peter Jacks declared, "that crime is the easiest game in the world. Given a reasonable amount of intelligence, and a murderer's business is about as simple as a sandwich-man's." 

"The police," Gerald Morse, a pale-faced, anaemic-looking youth, declared, "rely upon two things, circumstantial evidence and motive. In the present case there is no circumstantial evidence, and as to motive, poor old Victor was too big a fool to have an enemy in the world." 

Sidney Voss, who was up for the Sheridan Club and had once been there, glanced respectfully across at Francis. 

"You ought to know something about crime and criminals, Mr. Ledsam," he said. "Have you any theory about the affair?" 

Francis set down the glass from which he had been drinking, and, folding up the evening paper, laid it by the side of him. 
Who was accused of a crime?
How long ago was the inquest?
Where was it being discussed?
Who was someone in the conversation?
What was his profession?
Who else?
What did he do?
What did he have to say about it?
Who else was in the conversation?
Did he think the man was guilty?
What was his profession?
Who else was talking about it?
What did he do for a living?
Who else was sitting close by?
What was he eating?
What was he doing?
Did anyone talk to him?
Who?
What did he ask him?
Was the dead man a friend?
Victor Bidlake
verdict at the adjourned inquest upon Victor Bidlake
about a fortnight
about a fortnight later
at Soto's American Bar
at Soto's American Bar
Robert Fairfax
. They were Robert Fairfax
he was a young actor in musical comedy,
 a young actor in musical comedy,
Peter Jacks
Peter Jacks
he was a cinema producer
 a cinema produce
he stated that crime is the easiest game in the world
"that crime is the easiest game in the world
Gerald Morse
Gerald Morse
no
poor old Victor was too big a fool to have an enemy in the world
a dress designer
a dress designer
Sidney Voss
Sidney Voss
he was a musical composer
 a musical composer
Francis Ledsam
Francis Ledsam was seated with a cocktail
a dish of almonds
a dish of almonds
reading an evening paper
studying an evening paper
yes
"You ought to know something about crime and criminals,
Sidney Voss
Sidney Voss
if he had any theory about the affair
 "Have you any theory about the affair?
yes
 members of the little circle towards which the dead man had seemed,