Tell us--is it the worst?"

"Yes," said Selwood. "It is."

"He is dead?" she asked in a low voice. "You are sure? Dead?"

Selwood bent his head by way of answer; when he looked up again the girl
had bent hers, but she quickly lifted it, and except that she had grown
pale, she showed no outward sign of shock or emotion. As for Mr.
Tertius, he, too, was calm--and it was he who first broke the silence.

"How was it?" he asked. "A seizure?"

Selwood hesitated. Then, seeing that he had to deal with two people who
were obviously in full control of themselves, he decided to tell the
truth.

"I'm afraid you must be prepared to hear some unpleasant news," he said,
with a glance at the inspector, who just then quietly entered the room.
"The police say it is either a case of suicide or of murder."

Peggie looked sharply from Selwood to the police official, and a sudden
flush of colour flamed into her cheeks.

"Suicide?" she exclaimed. "Never! Murder? That may be. Tell me what you
have found," she went on eagerly. "Don't keep things back!--don't you
see I want to know?"

The inspector closed the door and came nearer to where the three were
standing.

"Perhaps I'd better tell you what we do know," he said. "Our station was
rung up by the caretaker here at five minutes past eight. He said Mr.
Herapath had just been found lying on the floor of his private room, and
they were sure something was wrong, and would we come round. I came
myself with one of our plain-clothes men who happened to be in, and our
surgeon followed us a few minutes later. We found Mr. Herapath lying
across the hearthrug in his private room, quite dead. Close by----" He
paused and looked dubiously at Peggie. "The details are not pleasant,"
he said meaningly. "Shall I omit them?"

"No!" answered Peggie with decision. "Please omit nothing. Tell us
all."

"There was a revolver lying close by Mr. Herapath's right hand,"
continued the inspector. "One chamber had been discharged. Mr. Herapath
had been shot through the right temple, evidently at close quarters. I
should say--and our surgeon says--he had died instantly. And--I think
that's all I need say just now."

Peggie, who had listened to this with unmoved countenance, involuntarily
stepped towards the door.

"Let us go to him," she said. "I suppose he's still here?"

But there Selwood, just as involuntarily, asserted an uncontrollable
instinct. He put himself between the door and the girl.

"No!