iss
Fosdyke; she, too, never heard her uncle speak of any Mr. Hollis. Then,
as to business--the partners at Chestermarke's Bank declare that they
know nothing whatever of your brother--Mr. Gabriel, the senior partner,
has seen the poor gentleman, and didn't recognize him. So--we at any
rate, are as wise as ever. We don't know what your brother came here
for!"

Hollis bowed his head in full acceptance of the superintendent's
remarks. But he looked up at Starmidge and smiled.

"Exactly!" he said. "I quite understand you, Mr. Polke. But--I am
convinced that my brother came here to see John Horbury. Why he came, I
know no more than you do--but I hope to know!"

"You'll stay in the town a bit, sir?" suggested Polke. "You'll want to
make arrangements for your poor brother's funeral, of course. Aught that
we can do, sir, to help, shall be done."

"I'm much obliged to you, Mr. Polke," replied Hollis. "Yes, I shall
certainly stay in Scarnham. In fact," he went on, rising and looking
quietly from one man to the other, "I shall stay in Scarnham until I,
or you, or somebody have satisfactorily explained how my brother came to
his death! I shall spare neither effort nor money to get at the
truth--that's my determination!"

"There's somebody else in like case with you, Mr. Hollis," observed
Polke. "Miss Fosdyke's just as concerned about her uncle as you are
about your brother. She declares she'll spend a fortune on finding
him--or finding out what's happened to him. It was Miss Fosdyke insisted
on having Detective-Sergeant Starmidge down at once."

Hollis quietly scrutinized the detective.

"Well?" he asked. "And what do you make of it?"

But Starmidge was not in the mood for saying anything more just then,
and he put his questioner off, asking him, at the same time, to keep the
matter of the cheque to himself. Presently Hollis went away with Neale,
to whom he wished to talk, and Starmidge, after a period of what seemed
to be profound thought, turned to Polke.

"Superintendent!" he said earnestly. "With your leave, I'd like to try
an experiment."

"What experiment?" demanded Polke.

Starmidge pointed to the ten thousand pound cheque, which was still
lying on the table.

"I'd like to take that cheque across to Chestermarke's Bank, and show it
to the partners," he answered.

"Good heavens!--why?" exclaimed Polke. "I thought you didn't want
anybody to know about it."

"Never mind--I've an idea," said the detective. "I