an
amateur investigator of criminal matters, and he has taken a fancy to
look into the details of this one. It may be that he will stumble upon
something of importance--who knows? And in such an affair as this I deem
it best to leave no stone unturned, no chance untried."

"Quite so, Mr. Narkom, quite so," agreed the captain. "Mr. Headland, I
am delighted to meet you, though, of course, I should have preferred to
do so under happier circumstances."

"Thanks very much," said Cleek with an inane drawl, but a quick,
searching look out of the corner of his eye at the young duke. "Awfully
good of you to say so, I'm sure. Your Grace, pleased to meet you.
Charmed, Mrs. Glossop. Yes, thanks, I will have a cup of tea. So nice of
you to suggest it."

"Must be rather interesting work, this looking into criminal matters on
your own initiative, Mr. Headwood--pardon, Headland, is it? Do forgive
me, but I have a most abominable memory for names," said the captain.
"Believe me, I shall be willing to give you any possible assistance that
I can in the present unhappy case."

"Thanks--jolly kind of you, and I very much appreciate it, I assure
you," returned Cleek in his best "blithering idiot" fashion. "Should be
ever so much obliged if you'd--er--permit me to view the scene of the
tragedy and the--er--body of the deceased, don't you know. Of course,
Mr. Narkom has said I may, but--er--after all, an Englishman's house is
his castle and all that, so it's only polite to ask."

"Oh, certainly, do so by all means, Mr. Headland. You will excuse my
saying it, but I doubt if you will find any clues there, however, for
the regular officials have already been over the ground."

"Searched the room, have they, in quest of the diamonds? Thieves do
funny things sometimes, you know, and it's just possible that they got
in a funk and hid the things instead of taking them away."

"Well, of all the blessed id----" began the young duke, looking over at
him disgustedly; and then discreetly stopped and left the term
unfinished.

"I fancy, my dear Headland," interposed Narkom, "I neglected to tell you
that the captain had my men search the place from top to bottom, go
through every cupboard, into every nook and corner, turn out the
servants' boxes--even his own and Mrs. Glossop's, as well--so that it is
certain the jewels could not have been concealed anywhere about the
premises either by accident or design. Nothing was found--nothing. The
Siva sto