as, has, I believe, gone to the grave
with him. Perhaps, after all, it is best."

"The police are very busy, I understand."

"Oh, of course! The Norfolk Constabulary will be very active over it
all, but I somehow have an intuition that the crime was one of no
ordinary character. Dick must have dismounted to speak to his assailant.
If he had been overthrown his machine would most probably have been
damaged. The assassin wanted the motor-cycle intact to get away upon.
Besides," he added, "the victim took over an hour to cover the three
miles between North Walsham and the spot where he was found. Something
unusual must have occurred in that time."

"Well, it can only be left to the police to investigate," replied the
tall, country squire, thrusting his hands into his jacket pockets.

"They won't discover much--depend upon it," remarked the naval officer,
who, as he strolled at his friend's side, presented the ideal type of
the keen, British naval officer. "Dick has been the victim of a very
carefully-prepared plot. That is my firm belief. I've been making some
inquiries at the Grand Hotel, and learn that Dick came over from Norwich
on his motor-cycle at nine o'clock yesterday morning for some purpose,
and idled about Mundesley and the neighbourhood all the day. The
head-waiter at the hotel knew him, for he had often lunched there. But
yesterday he evidently came here with some fixed purpose, for he seemed
to be eagerly expecting somebody, and at last, a little before two
o'clock, a young lady arrived by the motor-bus from Cromer. They
describe her as a neat, dark-haired, good-looking young person, rather
well-dressed--and evidently a summer visitor. The pair walked about the
village, and then went down to the beach and sat upon deck-chairs to
chat. They returned to the hotel at half-past three and had tea
together, _tete-a-tete_, in a small sitting-room. The waiter tells me
that once, when he went in, suddenly, she was standing up, apparently
urging him to act in opposition to his own inclinations. Her attitude,
he says, was one of unusual force, it being evident that Dick was very
reluctant to give some promise she was endeavouring to extract from him.
She left again by the motor-bus for Cromer just after four."

"Ah! There you are! The woman!" exclaimed the owner of Keswick Hall,
with a smile. "I thought as much."

"I don't think she had anything to do with the affair," said Barclay.
"The police this morning obtain