"Did Stepaside ever carry this knife with him?" asked the coroner.
"Has he ever discussed the knife with you?"
"Well, I can hardly say that," he replied. "But when it was sent I remember him saying that it was a murderous weapon, and it would be easy to kill a man with it. It was as sharp as a razor, too."
"Do you know whether he had it on the day in question?"
"I only know that it was on the office desk that day."
"Do you know of anyone who entered the office that day who would be likely to take it?"
"No," replied Preston; "I know of no one. You see, since we took the new mill my partner had one office and I had another. Of course, we were constantly going into each other's offices, but each of us regarded the other's room as private."
"Could anyone go into his office without your hearing or knowing?"
"Yes, I suppose so, but I do not think it likely."
"And you say you know of no one who entered Stepaside's room that day?"
"Yes. We always meet and discuss matters every morning when I do not go to Manchester."
"Was Stepaside in the habit of locking his office before he went out?"
"Always. He was very particular about that. He thought he had reason to be."
"Well, he believed that we had enemies. I do not wish to enlarge upon it now, but it's well known in the town."
This led to a number of questions wherein Paul's relationships with the murdered man were freely discussed. Witness after witness gave evidence of this. There could be no doubt about it. A long-standing quarrel had existed between the late Edward Wilson and Paul Stepaside.
"There's one further question I would like to ask of Mr. Preston," said the coroner presently. "It seems to me of very vital importance. A knife known to belong to Paul Stepaside was found driven into the body of the deceased. The question I wish to ask is this: Do you think it possible that anyone could have obtained this knife without Stepaside's knowledge and consent?"
"I am afraid not," and Preston spoke the words with a kind of gasp.
"And you, who were in your room most of the day, have no knowledge of anyone going into his office who would be likely to take it?"
"I have no knowledge. Indeed, my partner left at midday, and I do not remember him coming to the place at all afterwards."