Gifford will admit anything. You must have
tea before your long drive."

The subject of the mystery in the tower was tacitly dropped, perhaps from
a vague feeling that it was best not alluded to, at any rate by the
ladies, and the conversation flowed, with more or less effort, on
ordinary local topics. Tea over, Piercy took his leave.

"You must come again, Mr. Piercy, while you are in this part of the
county," Miss Morriston said graciously, "when you shall have no
episodes of lost keys to hinder your researches. My brother shall
write to you."

Kelson took the departing visitor out into the hall to see him off.

"You'll see it all in the papers to-morrow, I expect," he said in a
confidential tone, "so there is no harm in telling you there has been
a most gruesome discovery in that locked room. A man who was here at
the Hunt Ball, has been found dead; suicide no doubt. The police are
here now."

"Good heavens! A mercy the ladies did not see it."

"Yes; they'll have to know sooner or later. The later the better."

"Yes, indeed. Any idea of the cause of the sad business?"

"None, as yet. A complete mystery."

"Probably a woman in it."

"Not unlikely. Good-bye."

As Kelson turned from the door, Morriston and another man appeared at the
farther end of the hall and called to him.

"You know Dr. Page," he said as Kelson joined them.

"A terrible business this, doctor," Kelson observed as they shook hands.

The medico drew in a breath. "And at first sight in the highest degree
mysterious," he said gravely.

"Dr. Page," said Morriston, "has made a cursory examination of the
body. The autopsy will take place elsewhere. The police are making
notes of everything important, and after dark will remove the body
quietly by the tower door. So I hope the ladies will know nothing of
the tragedy just yet."

As they were speaking a footman had opened the hall-door and now
approached with a card on a salver. "Can you see this gentleman,
sir?" he said.

Morriston took the card, and as he glanced at it an expression of pain
crossed his face. He handed it silently to Kelson, who gave it back with
a grave nod. It was the card of "Mr. Gervase Henshaw, II Stone Court,
Temple, E.G."

CHAPTER VII

THE INCREDULITY OF GERVASE HENSHAW

"Show Mr. Henshaw into the library," Morriston said to the footman. "This
is horribly tragic," he added in a low tone to Kelson, "but it has to be
gone through, and perhaps the sooner