ing. Her
husband was some five or six years her senior, a genial, kindly man with
a winning smile, an engaging personality, and the manners of one used to
the good things of life and, like all people who really are used to
them, making no boast of it and putting on no "side" whatsoever. As for
the young duke--well, he was just an impetuous, hot-headed, hot-tongued,
lovable boy, the kind of chap who, in a moment of temper, would swear to
have your heart's blood, but, if you stumbled and fell the next moment,
would risk breaking his neck to get to you and help you and offer you
his last shilling to cab it home.

"Well, here I am, you see, Mr. Narkom," blurted out his impulsive Grace
as the superintendent and Cleek came in. "If any of your lot want me
they won't have to hunt me up and they won't find me funking it, no
matter how black it looks for me. I didn't kill her, I didn't even get
to see her; and anybody that says I did, lies--that's all!"

"My dear Heatherlands," protested the captain, "don't work yourself up
into such a pitch of excitement. I don't suppose Mr. Narkom has come
here to arrest you. It is just as black with regard to that mysterious
Hindu fellow, remember. Perhaps a little blacker when you come to recall
how suddenly and mysteriously he has disappeared. And, certainly, his
motive looks quite as strong as yours."

"I haven't any motive--I never did have one, and I take it beastly
unkind of you to say that, Glossop!" blurted out the young duke
impetuously. "Just because I'm hard up is no reason why I should commit
murder and robbery. What could I want with the Siva stones? I couldn't
sell them, could I, marked things that every diamond dealer in the
world knows? Oh, yes, I know what people say: I could have turned them
over to the Hindu and claimed the reward; that perhaps I did and that
that's why this particular Hindu has disappeared. But it's not true. I
didn't have anything to do with it. I didn't get into the room at all
last night. And even if I had I couldn't have bolted it on the inside
after I'd left it, could I? If you and your lot want me, Mr. Narkom, I'm
here, and I'll face every charge they can bring against me."

"Pardon me, your Grace, but I'm not here for the purpose of apprehending
anybody," replied Narkom suavely. "My errand is of a totally different
sort, I assure you. Captain Glossop, allow me to make you acquainted
with a great friend of mine, Mr. George Headland. Mr. Headland is