n," he said.

He himself criticized his writing as the four callers were ushered in;
he did not even look round at them. Gabriel, more sphinx-like than ever,
regarded each in order with an air of distinct disapproval. And he took
care to speak first.

"Now, Mr. Pellworthy?" he said sharply. "What do you want?"

Pellworthy, an elderly man, looked at Gabriel with as much disapproval
as Gabriel had bestowed on him.

"Mr. Chestermarke," he said quietly, "Miss Fosdyke, as next-of-kin to
Mr. John Horbury--my client--desires to see and examine her uncle's
effects. As you know very well, she is quite within her rights. I must
ask you to give her access to Mr. Horbury's belongings."

"And what do you want, Mr. Polke?" demanded Gabriel.

Polke produced a formal-looking document and held it before the banker's
eyes.

"Merely to show you that, Mr. Chestermarke," he answered. "That's a
search-warrant, sir! It empowers me and Mr. Starmidge here to
search--but I needn't read it to you, Mr. Chestermarke, I think. I
suppose we can go into the house now?"

Faint spots of colour showed themselves on Gabriel's cheeks. And again
he turned to his nephew. Joseph, however, did not speak. Instead, he
turned to the wall at his side and pressed a bell. A moment later a
maid-servant opened the private door which communicated with the house,
and looked inquiringly and a little nervously inside. Joseph frowned at
her.

"I rang twice!" he said. "That meant Mrs. Carswell. Send her here."

The girl hesitated.

"If you please, sir," she said at last, "Mrs. Carswell isn't in, sir,
she's out."

Joseph turned sharply--up to this he had remained staring at the papers
on his desk; now he twisted completely round in his chair.

"Where is she?" he demanded. "Fetch her!"

"If you please, sir, Mrs. Carswell hasn't been in for quite an hour,
sir," said the girl. "She put on her things and went out, sir,
just--just after that young lady called this morning. She--she's never
come back, sir."

Polke, who was standing close to Starmidge, quietly nudged the
detective's elbow. Both men watched the junior partner. And both saw the
first signs of something that was very like doubt and anxiety show in
his face.

"That'll do!" he said to the servant. He rose slowly from his desk, put
a hand in his pocket, and drew out some keys. Without a word, he
slightly motioned the visitors to follow him.

Out in the hall stood two men, who in spite of their plai