throw away nine thousand to save Barthorpe's neck?"

"The only question, Professor," said Peggie, reprovingly, "is--can I do
it? Can I draw a cheque for that amount?"

"Why not?" replied the Professor. "Everything's in order. Barthorpe
withdrew that wretched caveat--the will's been proved--every penny that
Jacob possessed is yours. Draw a cheque for fifty thousand, if you
like!"

"And you will go with Mr. Selwood?" asked Peggie, with a touch of
anxiety which was not lost on the Professor.

"Go with him--and take care of him, too," answered the Professor,
digging his big fingers into Selwood's ribs. "Very good. Now stop here
and lunch with me, and at two o'clock we'll telephone."

He and Peggie stood breathlessly waiting in the hall that afternoon
while Selwood was busy at the telephone in an adjacent lobby. Selwood
came back to them nodding his head.

"All right!" he said. "You and I, Professor, at her flat--tonight, at
nine o'clock."

CHAPTER XXXI

THE INTERRUPTED DINNER-PARTY

Triffitt's recent inquiries in connection with the Herapath affair had been
all very well from a strictly professional point of view, but not so well
from another. For nearly twelve months he had been engaged to a sweet girl,
of whom he was very fond, and who thoroughly reciprocated his affection;
up to the time of the Herapath murder he had contrived to spend a certain
portion of each day with her, and to her he had invariably devoted the
whole of his Sundays. In this love affair he was joined by his friend,
to whom Triffitt's young lady had introduced her great friend, with whom
Carver had promptly become infatuated. These ladies, both very young and
undeniably charming, spent the greater part of the working week at the
School of Needlework, in South Kensington, where they fashioned various
beautiful objects with busy needles; Sundays they gave up to their
swains, and every Sunday ended with a little dinner of four at some cheap
restaurant whereat you could get quite a number of courses at the fixed
price of half a crown or so and drink light wine which was very little
dearer than pale ale. All parties concerned looked forward throughout the
week to these joyful occasions; the girls wore their best frocks, and the
young men came out bravely in the matter of neckties; there was laughter
and gaiety and a general escape from the prosaic matters which obtained
from Monday to Saturday--consequently, Triffitt felt it a serious thin