resses of any
doctors, surgeons, or dentists who may have attended him at any time.
The dentists are particularly important, as their information would be
invaluable if the skull belonging to these bones should be discovered."

Mr. Bellingham shuddered.

"It's a shocking idea," he said, "but, of course you are right. You
must have the facts if you are to form an opinion. I will write out
what you want and send it to you without delay. And now, for God's
sake, let us throw off this nightmare, for a little while, at least!
What is there, Ruth, among Doctor Barnard's music that you can manage?"

Barnard's collection in general inclined to the severely classical, but
we disinterred from the heap a few lighter works of an old-fashioned
kind, including a volume of Mendelssohn's _Lieder ohne Worte_, and with
one of these Miss Bellingham made trial of her skill, playing it with
excellent taste and quite adequate execution. That, at least, was her
father's verdict; for, as to me, I found it the perfection of happiness
merely to sit and look at her--a state of mind that would have been in
no wise disturbed even by "Silvery Waves" or "The Maiden's Prayer."

Thus, with simple, homely music, and conversation always cheerful and
sometimes brilliant, slipped away one of the pleasantest evenings of my
life, and slipped away all too soon. St. Dunstan's clock was the fly
in the ointment, for it boomed out intrusively the hour of eleven just
as my guests were beginning thoroughly to appreciate one another, and
thereby carried the sun (with a minor paternal satellite) out of the
firmament of my heaven. For I had, in my professional capacity, given
strict injunctions that Mr. Bellingham should on no account sit up
late; and now, in my social capacity, I had smilingly to hear "the
doctor's orders" quoted. It was a scurvy return for all my care.

When Mr. and Miss Bellingham departed, Thorndyke and Jervis would have
gone too; but noting my bereaved condition, and being withal
compassionate and tender of heart, they were persuaded to stay awhile
and bear me company in a consolatory pipe.

CHAPTER XI

THE EVIDENCE REVIEWED

"So the game has opened," observed Thorndyke, as he struck a match.
"The play has begun with a cautious lead off by the other side. Very
cautious and not very confident."

"Why do you say 'not very confident'?" I asked.

"Well, it is evident that Hurst--and, I fancy, Jellicoe too--is anxious
to buy