utler stood, his hands half-closed before him, the palm
of one resting upon the knuckles of the other. His whole attitude
was half-nervous, half-fearful, and wholly deprecating.

"I'm afraid this has been a great shock to you," said Malcolm Sage.

Inspector Carfon glanced across at him. There was an unaccustomed
note of gentleness in his tone.

"It has indeed, sir," said the butler, and two tears gathered upon
his lower lids, hung pendulous for a second, then raced one another
down either side of his nose. It was the first sympathetic word the
old man had heard since the police had arrived, insatiable for facts.

"Sit down," said Malcolm Sage, without looking up, "I shall not keep
you many minutes." His tone was that one might adopt to a child.

The old man obeyed, seating himself upon the edge of the chair, one
hand still placed upon the other.

"You mustn't think because the police ask a lot of questions that
they mean to be unkind," said Malcolm Sage.

"I--I believe they think I did it," the old man quavered, "and--and
I'd have done anything----"

His voice broke, the tears coursing down his colourless cheeks.

"I want you to try to help me find out who did kill your master,"
continued Malcolm Sage, in the same tone, "and you can do that by
answering my questions."

There was no restless movement of fingers now. The hard, keen look
had left his eyes, and his whole attention seemed to be concentrated
upon soothing the old man before him.

With an obvious effort the butler strove to control himself.

"Did the professor ever have visitors at his laboratory?"

"Only Sir Jasper, sir. He was----"

"Just answer my questions," said Malcolm Sage gently. "He told you,
I think, never on any account to disturb him?"

"Yes, sir."

"Did you ever do so?"

"Only once, sir."

"That was?"

"When Mrs. Graham, that's the housekeeper, sir, set fire to the
curtains of her room. I was afraid for the house, sir, and I ran
down and knocked at the laboratory door."

"Did the professor open it?"

"No, sir."

"Perhaps he did not hear you?"

"Yes, he did, sir. I knocked and kicked for a long time, then I ran
back to the house and found the fire had been put out."

"Did Professor McMurray ever refer to the matter?"

"He was very angry when I next saw him, sir, three days later."

"What did he say?"

"That neither fire nor murder was an excuse for interrupting him,
and if I did it again I would have to----"

"