and a congestion, which the most
ordinary practitioner who happened to be called in would soon see were
non-existent.

"Mr. Ireland, according to James Fairbairn's evidence, must have gone
out soon after the theft, come in again with his son an hour and a half
later, talked to him, gone quietly to bed, and waited for nine hours
before he fell ill at sight of his own crime. It was not logical, you
will admit. Unfortunately, the poor man himself was unable to give any
explanation of the night's tragic adventures.

"He was still very weak, and though under strong suspicion, he was left,
by the doctor's orders, in absolute ignorance of the heavy charges which
were gradually accumulating against him. He had made many anxious
inquiries from all those who had access to his bedside as to the result
of the investigation, and the probable speedy capture of the burglars,
but every one had strict orders to inform him merely that the police so
far had no clue of any kind.

"You will admit, as every one did, that there was something very
pathetic about the unfortunate man's position, so helpless to defend
himself, if defence there was, against so much overwhelming evidence.
That is why I think public sympathy remained with him. Still, it was
terrible to think of his wife presumably knowing him to be guilty, and
anxiously waiting whilst dreading the moment when, restored to health,
he would have to face the doubts, the suspicions, probably the open
accusations, which were fast rising up around him."

CHAPTER XX

AN _ALIBI_

"It was close on six weeks before the doctor at last allowed his patient
to attend to the grave business which had prostrated him for so long.

"In the meantime, among the many people who directly or indirectly were
made to suffer in this mysterious affair, no one, I think, was more
pitied, and more genuinely sympathised with, than Robert Ireland, the
manager's eldest son.

"You remember that he had been clerk in the bank? Well, naturally, the
moment suspicion began to fasten on his father his position in the
business became untenable. I think every one was very kind to him. Mr.
Sutherland French, who was made acting manager 'during Mr. Lewis
Ireland's regrettable absence,' did everything in his power to show his
goodwill and sympathy to the young man, but I don't think that he or any
one else was much astonished when, after Mrs. Ireland's extraordinary
attitude in the case had become public prope