the ruins. The body was burnt almost
beyond recognition, but not so much as to conceal the fact that the
unfortunate gentleman had not perished in the fire, but had been
the victim of foul play. The throat was very deeply cut, and there
can be no doubt that the murderer must have fired the barn with the
object of destroying all traces of the crime. The police have
arrested Mr. Percy Bowmore, a frequent visitor at the house of the
deceased."
#/

"My telegram," said Hewitt, "is plainly from a relative of this Mr.
Peytral who is dead--perhaps a daughter, since she speaks of being
unable to leave her mother. In that case, probably an only child, since
there is no other to leave."

"Unless the others are too young," I suggested.

"Just so," Hewitt replied. "Well, Brett," he added, "to-day is
Saturday."

Saturday was, of course, my "off" day, and I understood Hewitt to hint
that if I pleased I might accompany him to Throckham. "Saturday it is,"
I said, "and I have no engagements. Would you care for me to come?"

"As you please, of course. I can guess very little of the case as yet,
naturally, beyond what I have read in the paper; but the subtle sense of
my experience tells me that there is all the chance of an interesting
case in this. That's _your_ temptation. As for myself, I don't mind
admitting that--especially in these country cases, where the resources
of civilisation are not always close at hand--I'm never loth to have a
friend with me who isn't too proud to be made use of. That's _my_
temptation!"

No persuasion was needed, and in due time we set out together.

II

It is my experience that places are to be found within twenty miles of
London far more rural, far sleepier, far less influenced by the great
city that lies so near, than places thrice and four times as far away.
They are just too far out to be disturbed by suburban traffic, and too
near to feel the influence of the great railway lines. These main lines
go by, carrying their goods and their passengers to places far beyond,
and it is only by awkward little branch lines, with slow and rare
trains, that any part of this mid-lying belt is reached, and even then
it is odds but that one must drive a good way to his destination.

Throckham was just such a place as I speak of, and that was the reason
why we had such ample time to catch the first of the half-dozen
leisurely trains by which one might reach the ne