"'Tis like this," I said. "You can see what Owlet did. He told me Bond
meant to take my life; and no doubt he told Bond I meant to take his life;
and the difference was this; Bond did mean to shoot me that afternoon,
doubtless believing that if he didn't, I'd be the death of him later. He
could get me when he liked. But I never meant to do more than prove he was
a rascal, or satisfy myself that he was not. For the rest, and as to
details, only Owlet can tell 'em; but it's very clear to me he did what
they say I did. He knew where Bond was going to lie for me, and he was
there hid afore Bond came and slew him and left him so as it should be
shown, as it has been shown, that I slew him. Very like he watched the
whole thing and was hid at my elbow somewhere when I found Bond; and then,
after I'd gone, he got Bond's revolver and took it away so as I should be
catched in a lie and prove the only one that was armed. And more than
that: he may have lent Bond the revolver himself."
I think the Detective-Inspector felt very pleased with my view; and there
was another good point for me, because, afore they buried him, they took
the dead man's fingerprints and found he'd been in prison before. In fact
he was a bad 'un--a juvenile adult that had served two years for three
burglaries; and so Owlet had told me a bit of truth mixed up with his
lies.
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