g that might have induced Bellingham suddenly to go abroad to
Heliopolis, for instance. Also he may be able to tell me what it was
that took the missing man to Paris on that last, rather mysterious
journey. That might turn out to be an important clue. And meanwhile,
Berkeley, you must endeavor tactfully to reconcile your friend to the
idea of letting us give an eye to the case. Make it clear to him that
I am doing this entirely for the enlargement of my own knowledge."

"But won't you have to be instructed by a solicitor?" I asked.

"Yes, nominally; but only as a matter of etiquette. We shall do all
the actual work. Why do you ask?"

"I was thinking of the solicitor's costs, and I was going to mention
that I have a little money of my own----"

"Then you keep it, my dear fellow. You'll want it when you go into
practice. There will be no difficulty about the solicitor; I shall ask
one of my friends to act nominally as a personal favor to me--Marchmont
would take the case for us, Jervis, I am sure."

"Yes," said Jervis. "Or old Brodribb, if we put it to him _amicus
curia_."

"It is excessively kind of both of you to take this benevolent interest
in the case of my friends," I said; "and it is to be hoped that they
won't be foolishly proud and stiff-necked about it. It's rather the
way with poor gentlefolk."

"I'll tell you what!" exclaimed Jervis. "I have a most brilliant idea.
You shall give us a little supper at your rooms and invite the
Bellinghams to meet us. Then you and I will attack the old gentleman,
and Thorndyke shall exercise his persuasive powers on the lady. These
chronic incurable old bachelors, you know, are quite irresistible."

"You observe that my respected junior condemns me to lifelong
celibacy," Thorndyke remarked. "But," he added, "his suggestion is
quite a good one. Of course, we mustn't put any sort of pressure on
Bellingham to employ us--for that is what it amounts to, even if we
accept no payment--but a friendly talk over the supper-table would
enable us to put the matter delicately and yet convincingly."

"Yes," said I, "I see that, and I like the idea immensely. But it
won't be possible for several days, because I've got a job that takes
up all my spare time--and that I ought to be at work on now," I added,
with a sudden qualm at the way in which I had forgotten the passage of
time in the interest of Thorndyke's analysis.

My two friends looked at me inquiringly, and I