few letters addressed to the Hon. Robert de Genneville.

"The Earl of Brockelsby, next-of-kin to the deceased, was also
telegraphed for. He drove over from Brockelsby Castle, which is about
seven miles from Birmingham. He was terribly affected by the awfulness
of the tragedy, and offered a liberal reward to stimulate the activity
of the police in search of the miscreant.

"The inquest was fixed for the 17th, three days later, and the public
was left wondering where the solution lay of the terrible and gruesome
murder at the Castle Hotel."

CHAPTER XXXII

A HIGH-BRED GENTLEMAN

"The central figure in the coroner's court that day was undoubtedly the
Earl of Brockelsby in deep black, which contrasted strongly with his
florid complexion and fair hair. Sir Marmaduke Ingersoll, his solicitor,
was with him, and he had already performed the painful duty of
identifying the deceased as his brother. This had been an exceedingly
painful duty owing to the terribly mutilated state of the body and face;
but the clothes and various trinkets he wore, including a signet ring,
had fortunately not tempted the brutal assassin, and it was through them
chiefly that Lord Brockelsby was able to swear to the identity of his
brother.

"The various employes at the hotel gave evidence as to the discovery of
the body, and the medical officer gave his opinion as to the immediate
cause of death. Deceased had evidently been struck at the back of the
head with a poker or heavy stick, the murderer then venting his blind
fury upon the body by battering in the face and bruising it in a way
that certainly suggested the work of a maniac.

"Then the Earl of Brockelsby was called, and was requested by the
coroner to state when he had last seen his brother alive.

"'The morning before his death,' replied his lordship, 'he came up to
Birmingham by an early train, and I drove up from Brockelsby to see him.
I got to the hotel at eleven o'clock and stayed with him for about an
hour.'

"'And that is the last you saw of the deceased?'

"'That is the last I saw of him,' replied Lord Brockelsby.

"He seemed to hesitate for a moment or two as if in thought whether he
should speak or not, and then to suddenly make up his mind to speak, for
he added: 'I stayed in town the whole of that day, and only drove back
to Brockelsby late in the evening. I had some business to transact, and
put up at the Grand, as I usually do, and dined with some friends.'