ir, there shall be no delay at all," the latter replied. "I am
bound to confess that that deed has made all the difference. I always
told Sir Charles that that property was valuable. But he would never
see it, and if he had, where was the capital to work it? But why he
never told me that he had made the thing over to you----"

"Did he ever tell anybody anything that facilitated business?" Sartoris
laughed. "I daresay he forgot all about it, poor fellow."

Sartoris shuffled painfully out of the office with the help of the
lawyer, and got into a cab. A moment later and Field was in the inner
office with Mr. Fleming. He produced his card and laid it on the table
by the way of introduction.

"This is the first time I have been honoured by a detective in all my
long experience," the lawyer said as he raised his eyebrows. "I hope
there is nothing wrong, sir?"

"Not so far as any of your clients are concerned, sir," Field replied.
"As a matter of fact, I am the officer who has charge of the
investigation into the strange case of Sir Charles Darryll. And I am
pretty sure that the lame gentleman who has just gone out could tell you
all about it if he chose. I mean Mr. Carl Sartoris."

The lawyer again raised his eyebrows, but said nothing.

"I see you have no disposition to help me," Field proceeded. "But just
now Mr. Sartoris made a remark that gives me an opening. He came to you
to-day with a deed which, unless I am greatly mistaken, purports to be
an assignment of property from Sir Charles to Mr. Sartoris. And that
property is probably a ruby mine in Burmah."

"So far you are quite correct," the lawyer said drily. "Pray proceed."

"I must ask you to help me a little," Field cried. "Let me tell you that
Carl Sartoris was in the scheme to obtain possession of the body of Sir
Charles Darryll. He was the lame man who was in the black hansom. I have
been in that fellow's house, and I have seen the body of Sir Charles,
unless I am greatly mistaken."

"Then, why don't you arrest that man?" the lawyer asked.

"Because I want the whole covey at one bag," Field said coolly. "Now,
sir, will you let me see the deed that Carl Sartoris brought here
to-day? Yesterday he did not know of your existence."

"He has been going to write to me for a long time," Fleming said.

"I am prepared to stake my reputation that Carl Sartoris never heard
your name till this morning," Field said coolly. "I can produce a
witness to prove it if you