jects to have about."

"All the same, they might have proved very useful in this case," said Mr.
Flexen. "Of course, they wouldn't tell us anything we shall not find out
eventually. But they might have saved us a lot of time and trouble. They
might put us on to the track of another firm of lawyers who did certain
business for Lord Loudwater."

"Well, no one but Mr. Carrington's firm did any business for him during
the last six months," said Mr. Manley, rising. "I feel inclined to take
advantage of the moonlight and go for a stroll. So I will leave you to go
on working on the murder. Good-bye for the present."

He sauntered out of the room, and when the door closed behind him, the
lawyer said earnestly: "I do hate a crank."

The words came from his heart.

"Oh, I don't think he's a crank," said Mr. Flexen in an indulgent tone.
"He's too intelligent; that's all."

"There's nothing so dangerous as too much intelligence. It's always a
nuisance to other people," said the lawyer. "Do you think he really knows
anything?"

"He knows something--nothing of real importance, I think," said Mr.
Flexen. "But, as I expect you've noticed, he likes to feel himself of
importance. And whatever knowledge he has helps him to feel important.
It's a harmless hobby. By the way, is there anything in the way of
insanity in Lady Loudwater's family?"

"No, I never heard of any, and I should have been almost certain to hear
if there were any," said the lawyer in some surprise.

"That's all right," said Mr. Flexen.

"By the way, how did you get on with the newspaper men?" said the lawyer.

"I put them in the way of making themselves very useful to me, and, at
the same time, I gave them exactly the kind of thing they wanted. I
think, too, that when they've run the story I gave them for all it's
worth, they'll very likely drop the case--unless, that is, we've really
got it cleared up. I was careful to point out to them that the verdict of
the coroner's jury was a piece of pig-headed idiocy, and they'll see the
unlikelihood of securing a conviction for murder with the medical
evidence as it is, unless we have an absolutely clear case."

"But, all the same, there's going to be a tremendous fuss in the papers,"
said Mr. Carrington, in the tone of dissatisfaction of the lawyer who is
always doing his best to keep tremendous fusses out of the papers.

"Oh, yes. That was necessary. It's out of that fuss that I hope to get
the evidence which w