human
Craig, I started, eagerly,
gpt
What on earth, Walter! Kennedy interrupted me with a look of surprise which I did not miss even in my excitement.
human
What are you driving at, anyway?
gpt
Why, Shirley is the criminal. He--
human
Nonsense! Wasn't an attempt made to kill him just now? Wasn't it evident that he was considered as dangerous to the unknown as Werner, the director? Hasn't he been eliminated from our calculations as surely as the man slain yesterday?
gpt
No! I flushed.
human
Not at all, Craig! This was not an attempt at murder. There were none of the criminal's earmarks noticeable at Tarrytown or in the banquet scene.
gpt
How do you mean, Walter?
human
Why, you pointed out yourself that this unknown was exceptionally clever. The attempt on Shirley, if it were an attempt, was not clever at all.
gpt
Why?
human
Why? I was a little sarcastic, because I was sure of myself.
gpt
Because the poison was atropin--belladonna. That is common. I've read of any number of crimes where that was used. Do you think for a moment that the mind which figured out how to use snake venom, and botulin toxin, would descend to anything as ordinary as all this?
human
Well, if it was not an attempt at murder, what was it?
gpt
Suicide! It's as plain as the nose on your face. Shirley was passing us as we were standing with Millard and as you told Millard we all were to go to the projection room to identify the criminal. Therefore Shirley knew he was at the end of his rope. With the theatrical temperament, he took the poison just as he finished playing his last great scene. It--it was a sort of swan song.
human
Quite a theory, Walter! Now I knew Kennedy was unimpressed.
gpt
But, where did he get the belladonna?
human
For his eyes. After the smoke smart.
gpt
The drug is of no use against such inflammation.
human
No, but it served to brighten his eyes. Enid suggested it to him and he went out and got it. It helped him play his scenes. It gave him the glittering expression he needed in his characterization.
gpt
If Shirley is the criminal, and if he is above using as common a drug as atropin for killing another man, then--then why isn't he above using it upon himself?
human
Because if he is killing himself it is not necessary for him to cover his tracks, or to do it cleverly, and besides --it was my big point--
gpt
You're all wrong, Walter, and I'll show you where your reasoning is faulty. In the first place if this criminal was the type to commit suicide at the moment he thought he was about to be caught he would be the type who would reflect upon that idea beforehand. As his crimes show a great deal of previous preparation, so we may assume that he would prepare for suicide, or rather for the possibility that he might wish to attempt it. Therefore he would have something better for that purpose than atropin.