ou may not have heard the expression. It
means 'can'--'fool'--'dupe.'"

The colonel drew a long breath.

"You still bear malice, I see, Mr. King," he said sadly.

He entered the portals of Scotland Yard without so much as a tremor,
passed up the broad stairs and along the unlovely corridors, till he
came to the double doors which marked the First Commissioner's private
office. Stafford disappeared for a moment and presently returned with
the news that the First Commissioner would not be able to see his
visitor for half an hour. Stafford apologised but the colonel was
affability itself and kept up a running conversation until a beckoning
secretary notified them that the great man was disengaged.

It was King who ushered the colonel into his presence. Sir Stanley was
writing at a big desk and looked up as the colonel entered.

"Sit down, colonel," he said, nodding his head to a chair on the
opposite side of the desk. "You needn't wait, King. There are one or two
things I want to speak to the colonel about."

When the door had closed behind the detective, Sir Stanley leaned back
in his chair. Their eyes met, the grey and the faded blue, and for the
space of a few seconds they stared. Sir Stanley Belcom was the first to
drop his eyes.

"I've sent for you, colonel," he said, "because I think you might give
me a great deal of information, if you're willing."

"Command me," said the colonel grandly.

"It is on the matter of a murder which was committed in London a few
months ago," said the commissioner quietly and for a moment Colonel
Boundary did not speak.

"I presume you are referring to the 'Snow' Gregory murder?" he said at
last.

"Exactly," nodded the commissioner. "We have had an inquiry from America
as to the identity of this young man. Now, you knew him better than
anybody else in London, colonel. Can you tell me, was he an American?"

"Emphatically not," said the colonel with a little sigh, as though he
were relieved at the turn the conversation was taking. "I came to know
him through--er--circumstances, and exactly what they were I cannot for
the moment remember. I had a lot to do with him. He did odd jobs for
me."

"Was he well educated?" asked the commissioner.

"Yes, I should say he was," said the colonel slowly. "There was a story
that he had been to Oxford, and that's very likely true. He spoke like a
college man."

"Do you know if he had any relations in England?"

The commissioner eyed th