he'd certainly heard
something when he first landed at Sydney, but had never been able to
trace afterwards. But it was no good--I never either saw or heard of
Wraye--and Brake came to the conclusion he'd left Australia. And I know
he hoped to get news of him, somehow, when we returned to England."

"That description, now?--what was it?" asked Bryce.

"Oh!" said Glassdale. "I can't remember it all, now--big man, clean
shaven, nothing very particular except one thing. Wraye, according to
Brake, had a bad scar on his left jaw and had lost the middle finger of
his left hand--all from a gun accident. He--what's the matter, sir?"

Bryce had suddenly let his pipe fall from his lips. He took some time
in picking it up. When he raised himself again his face was calm if a
little flushed from stooping.

"Bit my pipe on a bad tooth!" he muttered. "I must have that tooth seen
to. So you never heard or saw anything of this man?"

"Never!" answered Glassdale. "But I've wondered since this Wrychester
affair if Brake accidentally came across one or other of those men,
and if his death arose out of it. Now, look here, doctor! I read the
accounts of the inquest on Brake--I'd have gone to it if I'd dared, but
just then I hadn't made up my mind about seeing the Duke; I didn't know
what to do, so I kept away, and there's a thing has struck me that I
don't believe the police have ever taken the slightest, notice of."

"What's that?" demanded Bryce.

"Why, this!" answered Glassdale. "That man who called himself
Dellingham--who came with Brake to the Mitre Hotel at Wrychester--who
is he? Where did Brake meet him? Where did he go? Seems to me the police
have been strangely negligent about that! According to the accounts I've
read, everybody just accepted this Dellingham's first statement, took
his word, and let him--vanish! No one, as far as I know, ever verified
his account of himself. A stranger!"

Bryce, who was already in one of his deep moods of reflection, got up
from his chair as if to go.

"Yes," he said. "There maybe something in your suggestion. They
certainly did take his word without inquiry. It's true--he mightn't be
what he said he was."

"Aye, and from what I read, they never followed his movements that
morning!" observed Glassdale. "Queer business altogether! Isn't there
some reward offered, doctor? I heard of some placards or something, but
I've never seen them; of course, I've only been here since yesterday
morning.