bringing with a strong moral side to it. His private life was, in the
usual limited sense, blameless. He was almost ascetic in his habits,
except as to smoking. I lived with him five years without ever knowing
him to tell a direct verbal falsehood, constantly as he used to practise
deceit in other forms. Can you understand the soul of a man who never
hesitated to take steps that would have the effect of hoodwinking
people, who would use every trick of the markets to mislead, and who was
at the same time scrupulous never to utter a direct lie on the most
insignificant matter? Manderson was like that, and he was not the only
one. I suppose you might compare the state of mind to that of a soldier
who is personally a truthful man, but who will stick at nothing to
deceive the enemy. The rules of the game allow it; and the same may be
said of business as many business men regard it. Only with them it is
always war-time."

"It is a sad world," observed Mr. Cupples.

"As you say," Marlowe agreed. "Now I was saying that one could always
take Manderson's word if he gave it in a definite form. The first time I
ever heard him utter a downright lie was on the night he died; and
hearing it, I believe, saved me from being hanged as his murderer."

Marlowe stared at the light above his head, and Trent moved impatiently
in his chair. "Before we come to that," he said, "will you tell us
exactly on what footing you were with Manderson during the years you
were with him."

"We were on very good terms from beginning to end," answered Marlowe.
"Nothing like friendship--he was not a man for making friends--but the
best of terms as between a trusted employee and his chief. I went to him
as private secretary just after getting my degree at Oxford. For a long
time I liked the position greatly. When one is attached to an active
American plutocrat in the prime of life one need not have many dull
moments. Besides, it made me independent. My father had some serious
business reverses about that time, and I was glad to be able to do
without an allowance from him. At the end of the first year Manderson
doubled my salary. 'It's big money,' he said, 'but I guess I don't
lose.'

"You see, by that time I was doing a great deal more than accompany him
on horseback in the morning and play chess in the evening, which was
mainly what he had required. I was attending to his houses, his farm in
Ohio, his shooting in Maine, his horses, his cars and his yacht