entirely in the dark as to what that man was doing in my sister's
rooms or how he met with his death. You must remember that these
fellows are all more or less criminals. Lalonde, I believe, is
something of an exception, but the rest of them are at war with
Society to the extent of enriching themselves at the expense of
their wealthier neighbors on every possible occasion. It is quite
likely that the night they were watching Rosario it may have
occurred to them that my sister's room contained a good many
valuable trifles and was easily entered, especially as they seem to
have had a meeting place close at hand. That, however, is pure
surmise. You follow me?"

Arnold sighed.

"In a way, I suppose I do," he admitted. "But--it isn't easy, is
it?"

"These matters are not easy," Sabatini agreed. "There are motives
and counter-motives to be taken note of with which at present I do
not weary you. I give you the clue. It is enough."

"But the mystery of the man's body being removed?" Arnold began.

Sabatini shrugged his shoulders.

"Our knowledge ends with what I have told you," he said. "We have
no idea who killed the man, and what we know about his removal we
know only from what you saw."

Arnold sat thinking for several moments. The telephone rang and some
one inquired for Mr. Weatherley. When he had answered it, he turned
once more to his visitor.

"Do you know," he remarked, "that nothing that you have yet told me
throws the slightest light upon the disappearance of Mr.
Weatherley?"

Sabatini smiled.

"Ah! well," he said, "I am afraid that as yet I have not fully
appreciated that incident. In France it is by no means unusual that
a man should take a hurried journey from his family. I, perhaps,
have not sufficiently taken into account Mr. Weatherley's exactness
and probity of life. His disappearance may, indeed, have a more
alarming significance than either my sister or I have been inclined
to give it, but let me assure you of this, my dear Chetwode, that
even if Mr. Weatherley has come to serious grief, neither Fenella
nor I can suggest the slightest explanation for it. She knows of no
reason for his absence. Neither do I. She is, however, just as
convinced as I am that he will turn up again, and before very long."

Sabatini pushed away his chair and prepared to leave. His hand fell
carelessly and yet almost affectionately upon the young man's
shoulder.

"Perhaps," he said, quietly, "I am what you are doub