ion, once. But it hasn't got anything to do with the stealing
of that belt."

"Perhaps not," said the Colonel; "but let us hear. You say somebody did
once come and ask for the Doctor when he was out?"

"Begging your pardon, sir, no, sir. It wasn't to see the Doctor, sir.
It was on the day when everybody was out, gone to the Strongley
cricket-match, and there was nobody at home but the maids and me, for
Mrs Hamton our housekeeper, sir, had leave from the Doctor to go and
see a friend who was ill."

"Well," said the Colonel sharply, "what is it, Glyn?" For the boy had
jumped up excitedly.

"That was the day, father, when Singh left the keys in the lock of his
box."

"Exactly," said the Colonel. "Sit down, my boy.--Well, my man, whom did
this stranger ask to see?"

"Please, sir, it wasn't a stranger; it was a gentleman the Doctor knew,
and who came here to dinner once, and he asked for Mr Morris."

"Oh!" cried Morris, springing up. "Impossible!"

"Mr Morris, I must ask you to be silent," said the Colonel sternly.

"But--"

"I will hear anything you have to say, sir, when I have finished with
this witness," said the Colonel firmly.--"Go on, my man. Who was this
gentleman?"

"Pro--Professor Barlow, sir. No, sir; Professor Barclay, sir. And he
said he was very much disappointed, as he had come down expressly from
London to see Mr Morris. He said he couldn't stop, but he would write
a letter if I would give him pens, ink, and paper."

"Go on," said the Colonel, as the hearers bent forward with eager
interest. "Did you supply him with pens, ink, and paper?"

"Yes, sir. You see, he wasn't a stranger, but a friend of master's."

"And you took him to my study?" said the Doctor almost fiercely.

"I beg your pardon, Doctor," said the Colonel stiffly.

"I beg yours, Colonel Severn, for the interruption."

"Now then, my man," continued the Colonel; "you took this visitor, this
Professor Barclay--"

There was a low, indignant murmur here, and the Colonel looked round
sharply.

"You took this Professor Barclay into your master's study, I understand,
and gave him pens, ink, and paper, and left him to write the letter?"

"No, sir, that I didn't," said Wrench, grinning with triumph. "I have
been a servant too many years, sir, to go and do a thing like that.
What, take him into master's room, where he keeps his cash-box and
cheque-book in the little iron safe in the closet! And there's the
presentatio