"It was my idea," he said stiffly.

"And a very excellent one," agreed Jasper, "but unfortunately you
appointed your guards too late."

Mr. Mann went back to his office, his brain in a whirl, yet such was his
habit that he did not allow himself to speculate upon the new and
amazing situation until he had carefully jotted down every new fact he
had collected.

It was astounding that he had overlooked the connection between Jasper
Cole and John Minute's wife. His labors did not cease until eleven
o'clock, and he was preparing to go home when the commissionaire who
acted as caretaker came to tell him that a lady wished to see him.

"A lady? At this hour of the night?" said Mr. Mann, perturbed. "Tell
her to come in the morning."

"I have told her that, sir, but she insists upon seeing you to-night."

"What is her name?"

"Mrs. Merrill," said the commissionaire.

Saul Arthur Mann collapsed into his chair.

"Show her up," he said feebly.

He had no difficulty in recognizing the girl, who came timidly into the
room, as the original of the photograph which had been sent to him by
Constable Wiseman. She was plainly dressed and wore no ornament, and she
was undeniably pretty, but there was about her a furtiveness and a
nervous indecision which spoke of her apprehension.

"Sit down," said Mr. Mann kindly. "What do you want me to do for you?"

"I am Mrs. Merrill," she said timidly.

"So the commissionaire said," replied the little man. "You are nervous
about something?"

"Oh, I am so frightened!" said the girl, with a shudder. "If he knows I
have been here he'll--"

"You have nothing to be frightened about Just sit here for one moment."

He went into the next room, which had a branch telephone connection, and
called up May. She was out, and he left an urgent message that she was
to come, bringing Jasper with her, as soon as she returned. When he got
back to his office, he found the girl as he had left her, sitting on the
edge of a big armchair, plucking nervously at her handkerchief.

"I have heard about you," she said. "He mentioned you once--before we
went to that Sussex cottage with Mr. Crawley. They were going to bring
another lady, and I was to look after her, but he--"

"Who is 'he'?" asked Mr. Mann.

"My husband," said the girl.

"How long have you been married?" demanded the little man.

"I ran away with him a long time ago," she said. "It has been an awful
life; it was Mr. Crawley's idea. He t