een a very
unpleasant scene. He had warned the boy that unless he apologised
to-day he would telephone to London for his lawyer, and make a fresh
will entirely disinheriting him. Soon after the interview Dane went
out of the house, and apparently did not return until late--as a
matter of fact, after I had gone to bed. I was feeling tired and
said 'good night' to Challoner about half-past ten in the library."

For some time Malcolm Sage gazed upon the outline he had completed,
as if in it lay the solution of the mystery.

"It's a pity you let the butler unlock the door," he remarked
regretfully.

Sir James looked across at his late chief-of-staff keenly. He
detected something of reproach in his tone.

"Did you happen to notice if the electric light was on when you
entered the library?"

"No," said Sir James, after a slight pause; "it was not."

Malcolm Sage reached across to the private telephone and gave the
"three on the buzzer" that always galvanised Miss Gladys Norman into
instant vitality.

"Miss Norman," said Sage as she entered, "can you lend me the small
mirror I have seen you use occasionally?"

"Yes, Mr. Sage," and she disappeared, returning a moment later with
the mirror from her handbag. She was accustomed to Malcolm Sage's
strange requests.

"Feeling better?" he enquired as she turned to go.

"I'm all right now," she smiled, "and please don't send me home, Mr.
Sage," she added, and she went out before he had time to reply.

A quarter of an hour later the two men entered Sir James's car,
whilst Thompson and Dawkins, the official photographer to the Bureau,
followed in that driven by Tims. Malcolm Sage would cheerfully have
sacrificed anybody and anything to serve his late chief.

"And how am I to keep the shine off my nose without a looking-glass,
Johnny?" asked Miss Norman of William Johnson, as she turned to
resume her work.

"He won't mind if it shines," said the youth seriously; and Miss
Norman gave him a look, which only his years prevented him from
interpreting.

II

As the car drew up, the hall-door of "The Cedars" was thrown open by
the butler, a fair-haired clean-shaven man of about forty-five, with
grave, impassive face, and eyes that gave the impression of allowing
little to escape them.

As he descended the flight of stone-steps to open the door of the
car, a young man appeared behind him. A moment later Sir James was
introducing him to Malcolm Sage as "Mr. Richard D