s me they are saying at the school that it is known that
Braden called on me at my house shortly before he was found dead. I know
nothing whatever of any such call! But--I left you in my surgery that
morning. Do you know if he came there?"

"Yes!" answered Bryce. "He did come. Soon after you'd gone out."

"Why did you keep that secret?" demanded Ransford. "You could have told
it to the police--or to the Coroner--or to me. Why didn't you?"

Before Bryce could answer, all three heard a sharp click of the front
garden gate, and looking round, saw Mitchington coming up the walk.

"Here's one of the police, now," said Bryce calmly. "Probably come to
extract information. I would much rather he didn't see you here--but I'd
also like you to hear what I shall say to him. Step inside there," he
continued, drawing aside the curtains which shut off the back room.
"Don't stick at trifles!--you don't know what may be afoot."

He almost forced them away, drew the curtains again, and hurrying to the
front door, returned almost immediately with Mitchington.

"Hope I'm not disturbing you, doctor," said the inspector, as Bryce
brought him in and again closed the door. "Not? All right, then--I came
round to ask you a question. There's a queer rumour getting out in the
town, about that affair last week. Seems to have sprung from some of
those old dowagers in the Close."

"Of course!" said Bryce. He was mixing a whisky-and-soda for his caller,
and his laugh mingled with the splash of the siphon. "Of course! I've
heard it."

"You've heard?" remarked Mitchington. "Um! Good health, sir!--heard, of
course, that--"

"That Braden called on Dr. Ransford not long before the accident, or
murder, or whatever it was, happened," said Bryce. "That's it--eh?"

"Something of that sort," agreed Mitchington. "It's being said, anyway,
that Braden was at Ransford's house, and presumably saw him, and that
Ransford, accordingly, knows something about him which he hasn't told.
Now--what do you know? Do you know if Ransford and Braden did meet that
morning?"

"Not at Ransford's house, anyway," answered Bryce promptly. "I can prove
that. But since this rumour has got out, I'll tell you what I do know,
and what the truth is. Braden did come to Ransford's--not to the house,
but to the surgery. He didn't see Ransford--Ransford had gone out,
across the Close. Braden saw--me!"

"Bless me!--I didn't know that," remarked Mitchington. "You never
mentioned it.