courage to retire to his own sanctum,
though a midday meal was awaiting him.

"Take me upstairs," said the detective. "I shall not detain you many
minutes. Then you and I will have a snack together and you'll borrow a
bicycle for me, and I sha'n't trouble you any more till a late hour."

"No trouble at all, sir," Tomlinson assured him. "If I could advance
your inquiry in the least degree I'd fast cheerfully all day."

"What I like about you, Tomlinson, is your restraint," said Furneaux.
"Many a man would have offered to fast a week, not meaning to deny
himself a toothful five minutes longer than was avoidable. Now you
really mean what you say----Ah, this is Mr. Robert's den. And that is
his bedroom, with dressing-room adjoining. Very cozy, to be sure. Of
course, the rooms have been dusted regularly since he disappeared on
Saturday?"

"Every day, sir."

"Well, I hate prying into people's rooms. Beastly liberty, I call it.
Now for Mr. Hilton's."

"Is that all, sir?" inquired the butler, manifestly surprised by the
cursory glance which the detective had given around the suite of
apartments.

"All at present, thank you. Like the Danites' messengers, I'm only
spying out the lie of the land. Ah, each brother occupied a corner of
the east wing. Robert, north, Hilton, south--a most equitable
arrangement. Now these rooms show signs of tenancy, eh?"

They were standing in Hilton Fenley's sitting-room, having traversed
the whole of the gallery around the hall to reach it. The remains of a
fire in the grate caught Furneaux's eye, and the butler coughed
apologetically.

"Mr. Hilton won't have his rooms touched, sir, until he leaves home of
a morning," he said. "He likes to find his papers, et cetera, where he
put them overnight. As a rule the housemaid comes here soon after
breakfast, but this morning--naturally----"

"Of course, of course," assented the other promptly. "Everything is at
sixes and sevens. Would you mind sending the girl here? I'd like to
have a word with her."

Tomlinson moved ponderously towards an electric bell.

"No," said Furneaux. "Don't ring. Just ask her to come. Then she can
bring me to your place and we'll nibble something. Meanwhile I'll
enjoy this view."

"Certainly, sir. That will suit me admirably."

Tomlinson walked out with stately tread. His broad back was scarcely
turned before the detective's nimble feet had carried him into the
bedroom, which stood in the southeast angle. He se