the smartest men in the service
of your department. Only he's transposed his name--ask them at the Yard
if they remember Harker Simpson? That seems to startle you, Mitchington!
Well, as you're here, perhaps I'd better startle you a bit more."

CHAPTER XIX. THE SUBTLETY OF THE DEVIL

There was a sudden determination and alertness in Bryce's last words
which contrasted strongly, and even strangely, with the almost cynical
indifference that had characterized him since his visitors came in, and
the two men recognized it and glanced questioningly at each other. There
was an alteration, too, in his manner; instead of lounging lazily in his
chair, as if he had no other thought than of personal ease, he was now
sitting erect, looking sharply from one man to the other; his whole
attitude, bearing, speech seemed to indicate that he had suddenly made
up his mind to adopt some definite course of action.

"I'll tell you more!" he repeated. "And, since you're here--now!"

Mitchington, who felt a curious uneasiness, gave Jettison another
glance. And this time it was Jettison who spoke.

"I should say," he remarked quietly, "knowing what I've gathered of the
matter, that we ought to be glad of any information Dr. Bryce can give
us."

"Oh, to be sure!" assented Mitchington. "You know more, then, doctor?"

Bryce motioned his visitors to draw their chairs nearer to his, and
when he spoke it was in the low, concentrated tones of a man who means
business--and confidential business.

"Now look here, Mitchington," he said, "and you, too, Mr. Jettison, as
you're on this job--I'm going to talk straight to both of you. And to
begin with, I'll make a bold assertion--I know more of this Wrychester
Paradise mystery--involving the deaths of both Braden and Collishaw,
than any man living--because, though you don't know it, Mitchington,
I've gone right into it. And I'll tell you in confidence why I went into
it--I want to marry Dr. Ransford's ward, Miss Bewery!"

Bryce accompanied this candid admission with a look which seemed to
say: Here we are, three men of the world, who know what things are--we
understand each other! And while Jettison merely nodded comprehendingly,
Mitchington put his thoughts into words.

"To be sure, doctor, to be sure!" he said. "And accordingly--what's
their affair, is yours! Of course!"

"Something like that," assented Bryce. "Naturally no man wishes to marry
unless he knows as much as he can get to know