Page:The Viaduct Murder (1926).pdf/185

"It looks, surely, as if it was put there after the man was dead."

"And if it was put there, it was put there to create a false impression, obviously. Now, let's see; what false impression could you create by putting a ticket in a dead man's pocket? That he was travelling on a different day⁠—of course, that's possible."

"Yes, but that wasn't it: I mean, it wasn't on Monday that he was killed. Because he was seen going up on Tuesday morning; they said that at the inquest."

"Good, then that's excluded. Or you might create the impression that he was travelling third when he was really travelling first. But that would be useless, wouldn't it, because lots of people on this line travel first on a third-class ticket when the trains are crowded, and this train was. Or you might create the impression that he was travelling, when he wasn't really travelling at all. But Brotherhood clearly was, because he came up from London all right. The only other false impression would be that his destination was different from what it really was. But dash it all, his ticket was for Paston Whitchurch, and he was killed⁠—Oh, good Lord!"

"What's the matter?"

"What fools we've been! Don't you see that if the man was really pitched out of the three o'clock from London, which doesn't stop between Weighford and Binver, a ticket for Paston Whitchurch would disguise the fact that he came by that train,