Lessingham."

"Really?" Philippa exclaimed. "Whatever has that poor man been doing
now."

"Dreymarsh," her visitor proceeded, "having been constituted, during the
last few months, a protected area, it is my duty to examine and enquire
into the business of any stranger who appears here. Mr. Hamar Lessingham
has been largely accepted without comment, owing to his friendship with
you. I regret to state, however, that certain facts have come to my
knowledge which make me wonder whether you yourself may not in some
measure have been deceived."

"This sounds very ridiculous," Philippa interposed quietly.

"A few weeks ago," Captain Griffith continued, "we received information
that this neighbourhood would probably be visited by some person
connected with the Secret Service of Germany. There is strong evidence
that the person in question is Mr. Hamar Lessingham."

"A graduate of Magdalen, my brother's intimate friend, and a frequent
visitor at my father's house in Cheshire," Philippa observed, with faint
sarcasm.

"The possibility of your having made a mistake, Lady Cranston," Captain
Griffiths rejoined, "has, I must confess, only just occurred to me. The
authorities at Magdalen College have been appealed to, and no one of the
name of Lessingham was there during any one of your brother's terms."

Philippa took the blow well. She simply stared at her caller in a
noncomprehending manner.

"We have also information," he continued gravely, "from Wood Norton
Hall--from your mother, in fact, Lady Cranston--that no college friend
of your brother, of that name, has ever visited Wood Norton."

"Go on," Philippa begged, a little faintly. "Did I ever live there
myself? Was Richard ever at Magdalen?"

Captain Griffiths proceeded with the air of a man who has a task to
finish and intends to do so, regardless of interruptions.

"I have had some conversation with Mr. Lessingham, in the course of
which I asked him to explain his method of reaching here, and his last
habitation. He simply fenced with me in the most barefaced fashion. He
practically declined to give me any account of himself."

Philippa rose and rang the bell.

"I suppose I must give you some tea," she said, "although you seem to
have come here on purpose to make my head ache."

"My object in coming here," Captain Griffiths rejoined, a little
stiffly, "is to save you some measure of personal annoyance."

"Oh, please don't think that I am ungrateful," Philippa