On the night of the twenty-third he sat at my right hand,
as you will see by consulting your diagram of the table and the
guests. I asked him a question twice, to which he did not reply, and
looking at him I was startled by the expression in his eyes. They were
fixed on a distant corner of the room, and following his gaze I saw
what he was staring at with such hypnotising concentration. So
absorbed was he in contemplation of the packet there so plainly
exposed, now my attention was turned to it, that he seemed to be
entirely oblivious of what was going on around him. I roused him from
his trance by jocularly calling Gibbes's attention to the display of
money. I expected in this way to save Innis from committing the act
which he seemingly did commit. Imagine then the dilemma in which I was
placed when Gibbes confided to me the morning after what had occurred
the night before. I was positive Innis had taken the money, yet I
possessed no proof of it. I could not tell Gibbes, and I dare not
speak to Innis. Of course, monsieur, you do not need to be told that
Innis is not a thief in the ordinary sense of the word. He has no need
to steal, and yet apparently cannot help doing so. I am sure that no
attempt has been made to pass those notes.
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