in the
least, scoffing; John Steele went to the window; stood with his back to
it. A short time passed; the military man puffed more quickly. It seemed
the irony of fate, or friendship, that now that he was just beginning to
get better acquainted with Steele the latter should inconsistently
determine to leave London.

"Anything I can do for you when you're away?" began Captain Forsythe.
"Command me, if there is. Needn't say--"

"There's only one thing," John Steele looked at him; his voice was
steady, quiet. "And we've already spoken about that. You will let me
know if Ronsdale doesn't keep to the letter of the condition?"

"Very well." Captain Forsythe's expression changed slightly, but the
other did not appear to notice. "Although I don't imagine the
contingency will arise," he added vaguely, looking at his cigar rather
than John Steele.

"Nevertheless I shall leave with you certified copies of all the
papers," said Steele in a short matter-of-fact tone. "These, together
with the one you furnished me, are absolutely conclusive."

"The one I furnished you!" Captain Forsythe rested his chin on the knob
of his stick. "Odd about that, wasn't it?--that the day in the library
at Strathorn House, when I was about to tell you how I had better
success the second time I visited the landlady, we should have been
interrupted. And," looking at the other furtively, "by Jocelyn Wray!"
Steele did not answer. "If I had only seen the drift of your inquiries,
had detected more than a mere perfunctory interest! With the confession
given me on her death-bed by the landlady, that she had testified
falsely to protect her good-for-nothing son, and acknowledging that
another whom she did not know by name, but whom she described minutely,
had entered the house on the fatal night--with this confession in your
hands, a world of trouble might have been saved. As it is," he ended
half-ruefully, "you have found me most unlike the proverbial friend in
need, who is--"

"A friend, indeed!" said John Steele, placing a hand on the other's
shoulder, while a smile, somewhat constrained, lighted his face for a
moment. "Who at once rose to the occasion; hastened to London on the
receipt of a letter that was surely a test of friendship--"

"Oh, I don't know about that!" quickly. "Test of friendship, indeed!"
Captain Forsythe looked slightly embarrassed beneath the keen searching
eyes. "Don't think of it, or--Besides," brightening, "I had to come;
te