ell me."

Sir Walter looked at his watch.

"It is now nearly one o'clock," he said, "and at two we usually take
luncheon. What would you wish to do between now and then? None here but
ourselves and my butler--an old friend in all my secrets--knows you have
come professionally. I concealed the fact and called you 'Forbes,' at
your wish, though they cannot fail to suspect, I fear."

"Thank you. I will see the room, then, and look round the place. Perhaps
after luncheon, if she feels equal to the task, Mrs. May will give me a
private interview. I want to learn everything possible concerning your
late son-in-law--his career before Jutland, his philosophy of life, his
habits and his friends."

"She will very gladly tell you everything she can."

They ascended to the Grey Room.

"Not the traditional haunt of spooks, certainly," said Peter Hardcastle
as they entered the bright and cheerful chamber. The day was clear, and
from the southern window unclouded sunshine came.

"Nothing is changed?" he asked.

"Nothing. The room remains as it has been for many years."

"Kindly describe exactly where Captain May was found. Perhaps Mr. Lennox
will imitate his posture, if he remembers it?"

"Remember it! I shall never forget it," said Henry. "I first saw him
from below. He was looking out of the open window and kneeling here on
this seat."

"Let us open the window then."

The situation and attitude of the dead on discovery were imitated, and
Hardcastle examined the spot. Then he himself occupied the position and
looked out.

"I will ask for a ladder presently, and examine the face of the wall.
Ivy, I see. Ivy has told me some very interesting secrets before to-day,
Sir Walter."

"I dare say it has."

"If you will remind me at luncheon, I can tell you a truly amazing story
about ivy--a story of life and death. A man could easily go and come by
this window."

"Not easily I think," said Henry. "It is rather more than thirty-five
feet to the ground."

"How do you know that?"

"The police, who made the original inquiry and were stopped, as you
will remember, from Scotland Yard, measured it the second morning
afterwards--on Monday."

"But they did not examine the face of the wall?"

"I think not. They dropped a measure from the window."

The other pursued his examination of the room. "Old furniture," he said;
"very old evidently."

"It was collected in Spain by my grandfather many years ago."

"Valuable, no dou