saw me slit the lining and remove some of the padding. There was no wart
in the floor of the coffin, Wigan."

"You mean the coffins were changed?" said Zena.

"I do. One with the body in it was removed, and another with lead in it
was placed on the trestles in its stead. The plainer the coffin the
easier it would be to duplicate it by description. The makers of the
second coffin would not have the original before them to copy, you must
remember."

"But only Lady Rusholm and her son could possess the necessary knowledge
to give such a duplicate order," I said.

"You forget Mr. Thompson. He was an intimate friend, and staying in the
house at the time."

"I do not understand why the lead was not packed securely," said Zena.

"It puzzles me," said Quarles. "I could only find one answer. It was such
an obvious blunder that it must have been intentional. The lumps of lead
endorsed this idea. Whilst the large piece was flat and difficult to
move, the small piece was like a ball and meant to roll and strike the
side the moment the coffin was moved. It was presumably necessary that
the theft should be discovered, and your ingenious idea of a revengeful
enemy appealed to me, Wigan. I elaborated the idea to Sir Arthur, you
will remember."

I had nothing to say--no fault to find with his argument so far. Quarles
rather enjoyed my silence, I fancy.