, "there's no law against it. You can marry as many times as
you like, providing you marry the same woman."

"But, suppose--suppose she loves somebody else?" asked Beale hoarsely.

"Why then it will be tough on you," said Kitson, "but tougher on her.
Your business is to see that she doesn't love somebody else."

"But how?"

A look of infinite weariness passed across Kitson's face. He removed his
glasses and put them carefully into their case.

"Really, as a detective," he said, "you may be a prize exhibit, but as
an ordinary human being you wouldn't even get a consolation prize. You
have got me into a mess and you have got to get me out. John Millinborn
was concerned only with one thing--the happiness of his niece. If you
can make your wife, Mrs. Stanford Beale" (Beale groaned), "if you can
make your good lady happy," said the remorseless lawyer, "my trust is
fulfilled. I believe you are a white man, Beale," he said with a change
in his tone, "and that her money means nothing to you. I may not be able
to give a young man advice as to the best method of courting his wife,
but I know something about human nature, and if you are not straight, I
have made one of my biggest mistakes. My advice to you is to leave her
alone for a day or two until she's quite recovered. You have plenty to
occupy your mind. Go out and fix van Heerden, but not for his treatment
of the girl--she mustn't figure in a case of that kind, for all the
facts will come out. You think you have another charge against him;
well, prove it. That man killed John Millinborn and I believe you can
put him behind bars. As the guardian angel of Oliva Cresswell you have
shown certain lamentable deficiencies"--the smile in his eyes was
infectious, and Stanford Beale smiled in sympathy. "In that capacity I
have no further use for your services and you are fired, but you can
consider yourself re-engaged on the spot to settle with van Heerden. I
will pay all the expenses of the chase--but get him."

He put out his hand and Stanford gripped it.

"You're a great man, sir," he breathed.

The old man chuckled.

"And you may even be a great detective," he said. "In five minutes your
Mr. Lassimus White will be here. You suggested I should send for
him--who is he, by the way?"

"The managing director of Punsonby's. A friend of van Heerden's and a
shareholder in his Great Adventure."

"But he knows nothing?"

There was a tap at the door and a page-boy came into the