the
habit of seeing Mr. Hollis constantly--regularly--and I never even heard
him mention Scarnham, nor any person living at Scarnham. There are many
persons mentioned in these newspaper accounts," continued Mrs. Lester,
"in connection with this affair whose names I never heard before--yet
they are mentioned as if Mr. Hollis had something to do with them. Why
did he go there?"

"That, ma'am, is precisely what we want to find out from you!" replied
Starmidge, with a side glance at his fellow-detective. "It's just what
we've come for!"

He was watching Mrs. Lester very closely as he spoke, and he saw that up
to that moment she had certainly no explanation in her own mind as to
the reason of this police visit.

"But what can I tell you?" she exclaimed. "As I have said, I don't know
why Frederick Hollis went to Scarnham! He never mentioned Scarnham to me
when he was here last week."

"Let me tell you something that is not in the papers--yet--ma'am," said
Starmidge. "I think it will explain matters to you. When we examined Mr.
Hollis's effects at Scarnham, yesterday morning, after the finding of
his body, we found in his letter-case a cheque for ten thousand
pounds----"

Starmidge stopped suddenly. Mrs. Lester had started, and her pale face
had grown paler. Her eyes dilated as she looked at the two men.

"A cheque!" she exclaimed. "For--ten thousand pounds. On--him?
And--whose cheque?"

"It was a curious cheque, ma'am," replied Starmidge. "It was drawn on
Mr. Hollis's bankers, Vanderkiste, Mullineau & Company, of Lombard
Street. It was dated. It was filled in for ten thousand pounds--in words
and in figures. But it was not signed--and it was not made out to any
body. No name of payee, you understand, ma'am, no name of payer. But--it
is very evident Mr. Hollis made out that cheque intending to pay it
to--somebody. What we want to know is--who is--or was, that somebody? I
came up to town to try to find that out! I went to Mr. Hollis's bankers
this morning. They told me that last week Mr. Hollis paid into his
account there a cheque for ten thousand pounds, drawn by Helen Lester,
and told their manager that he should be drawing a cheque for his own
against it in a day or two. I then went to your bank, ma'am, saw your
bankers, and got your address. Now, Mrs. Lester, there's no doubt
whatever that the cheque which we found on Mr. Hollis is the cheque he
spoke of to Vanderkiste's manager. And we want you, if you please, to