and laid a hand sympathetically on
his shoulder. "I am sorry to seem so brutal, Harry," he said gently, "but
this discovery does not surprise me."

Kelson recoiled as from a blow, staring at his friend with a
horror-struck face. "Why, good heavens, what do you mean?" he gasped.

"Only," Gifford answered calmly, "that when you introduced me to
Miss Tredworth at the dance I noticed the stains on the white
flowers she wore."

"You did?" Kelson was staring stupidly at Gifford. "And you knew they
were blood-stains?"

"I could not tell that," was the answer. "But now it is pretty certain
they were."

For some seconds neither man spoke. Then with an effort Kelson seemed to
nerve himself to put another question.

"Hugh," he said, his eyes pitiful with fear, "you--you don't think Muriel
Tredworth had anything to do with Henshaw's death?"

Gifford turned away, and leaned on the mantelpiece.

"I don't know what to think," he said gloomily.

CHAPTER XI

GIFFORD'S COMMISSION

Next morning directly after breakfast Kelson started for Wynford Place.
As the result of deliberating fully upon the anxious problem before them,
he and Gifford had come to the conclusion that it might be a grave
mistake to try to keep secret the maid's discovery. It would doubtless by
this time have become a subject of gossip and speculation in the
household and consequently would very soon become public. Accordingly it
was arranged that Kelson should arrive first and have a private interview
with Muriel Tredworth with a view to ascertaining finally and for certain
whether she could in any way account for the stain on her dress. Gifford
was to follow half an hour later, when they would have a conference with
the Morristons and afterwards, with their approval, go into the town and
see the chief constable on the subject. If Gifford was doubtful as to
the expediency of the plan, and it was with a considerable amount of
hesitation that he brought himself to agree to it, he seemed to have no
good reason to urge against it. And, after all, it appeared, in the
circumstances, the only politic course to follow. Secrecy was practically
now out of the question, and any attempt in that direction would
inevitably fail and would in all probability produce results unpleasant
to contemplate.

When Gifford arrived at Wynford Place he found Kelson pacing the drive
and impatiently expecting him.

"Come along," he exclaimed, "the Morristons are waiting f