read it for yourself. You will
notice that in what Brake's counsel said on his behalf there are one or
two curious and mysterious hints as to what might have been said if it
had been of any use or advantage to say it. A strange case!"

Bryce turned eagerly to the faded scrap of newspaper.

BANK MANAGER'S DEFALCATION.

At the Central Criminal Court yesterday, John Brake,
thirty-three, formerly manager of the Upper Tooting
branch of the London & Home Counties Bank, Ltd.,
pleaded guilty to embezzling certain sums, the
property of his employers.

Mr. Walkinshaw, Q.C., addressing the court on behalf
of the prisoner, said that while it was impossible
for his client to offer any defence, there were
circumstances in the case which, if it had been worth
while to put them in evidence, would have shown that
the prisoner was a wronged and deceived man. To use
a Scriptural phrase, Brake had been wounded in the
house of his friend. The man who was really guilty
in this affair had cleverly escaped all consequences,
nor would it be of the least use to enter into any
details respecting him. Not one penny of the money
in question had been used by the prisoner for his own
purposes. It was doubtless a wrong and improper thing
that his client had done, and he had pleaded guilty and
would submit to the consequences. But if everything in
connection with the case could have been told, if it
would have served any useful purpose to tell it, it
would have been seen that what the prisoner really was
guilty of was a foolish and serious error of judgment.
He himself, concluded the learned counsel, would go so
far as to say that, knowing what he did, knowing what
had been told him by his client in strict confidence,
the prisoner, though technically guilty, was morally
innocent.

His Lordship, merely remarking that no excuse of any
sort could be offered in a case of this sort, sentenced
the prisoner to ten years' penal servitude.

Bryce read this over twice before handing back the book.

"Very strange and mysterious, Mr. Gilwaters," he remarked. "You say that
you saw Brake after the case was over. Did you learn anything?"

"Nothing whatever!" answered the old clergyman. "I got permission to see
him before he was taken away. He did not seem particularly pleased or
disposed to see me. I begged him to tell me what the real truth was. He
was, I think, somew