ogether by an effort.

"No--yes; I caught a glimpse of him, I think, with a girl in green."

"You know who she was?" Henshaw demanded.

"I've not the vaguest idea," Kelson answered mechanically. "I did not see
her face."

Henshaw rose. Perhaps from Kelson's manner he gathered that the men were
tired, and had had enough of him. He shook hands, with a word of thanks
and an apology. "We may know more after the inquest to-morrow afternoon,"
he remarked, "although I doubt it. You will let me consult you again, if
necessary? Thanks. Goodnight."

As the door closed on Henshaw, Kelson turned quickly to Gifford with a
scared face. "Hugh!" he cried hoarsely, in a voice subdued by fear. "The
blood stain on my cuff that night. How did it come there? Was it--?"

Gifford forced a smile. "My dear Harry, how absurd! What could that have
had to do with it?"

Kelson gave an uncomfortable laugh. "It is a grim coincidence," he said.

CHAPTER IX

THE CLOAK OF NIGHT

At the inquest which was held next day nothing was elicited which could
offer any solution of the mystery of Clement Henshaw's death. It seemed
to be pretty generally accepted to be a case of suicide, although that
view was opposed in evidence, not only by Gervase Henshaw on general
grounds, but also by the medical witnesses, who had grave doubts whether
the mortal wound had been self-inflicted.

"Just possible but decidedly improbable, both from the position of the
wound and the direction of the blow," was Dr. Page's opinion.

It was a downward, oblique stab in the throat which had pierced the
larynx and penetrated the jugular vein. The deceased would have been
unable to cry out and would probably have quickly become insensible from
asphyxiation. Unless he was left-handed the stab could scarcely have been
self-given.

The police authorities committed themselves to no definite theory at that
stage, and at their request the inquiry was adjourned for a month.

Morriston, leaving the hall with Kelson and Gifford, asked them to walk
back with him to Wynford Place.

"Let us throw off this depressing business as well as we can," he said.
"Of course I have had to break it to my sister and the others; they would
have seen it to-day in print. Thank goodness the papers don't look beyond
the suicide idea, so they are not making much fuss about it. If they took
a more sensational view, as I fear they will now after the medical
evidence, it would be a terrible nuisa