burnt down. Things haven't been happening while you were away, have
they?"

"Not half," said Tom.

"No, nor quarter," grinned the policeman to himself when the car moved
on. "Wait till you know who you took on that trip, and why, and _your_
sparkin'-plug'll be out of order for a week."

It was as well that the chauffeur had not the slightest notion that
he had conveyed a murderer to London when he began to tell his tale
to his employer and the detectives. They wanted a plain, unvarnished
story, and got it. On leaving the offices in Bishopsgate Street,
Fenley asked to be driven to Gloucester Mansions, Shaftesbury Avenue.
Tom had seen the last of him standing on the pavement, with a suitcase
on the ground at his feet. He was wearing an overcoat and a derby hat,
and was pressing an electric bell.

"He tol' me I needn't wait, so I made for the Edgware Road; an' that's
all," said Tom.

"Cool as a fish!" commented Furneaux.

"Well, sir, I didn't get hot over it," said the surprised chauffeur.

"I'm not talking about you. Could you manage another run to town? Are
you too tired?"

The mystified Tom looked at his employer. Dr. Stern laughed.

"Go right ahead!" he cried. "I'm thinking of buying a new car. A
hundred and twenty miles in one night should settle the matter so
far as this old rattletrap is concerned."

"Of course we'll pay you, doctor," said Winter.

"That's more than Hilton Fenley will ever do, I'm afraid."

Tom tickled his scalp under his cap.

"Mr. Hilton gemme a fiver," he said rather sheepishly. There was
something going on that he did not understand, but he thought it
advisable to own up with regard to that lordly tip.

"You're a lucky fellow," said the doctor. "What about petrol? And do
you feel able to take these gentlemen to London?"

Tom was a wiry person. In five minutes he was on the road again bound
for Scotland Yard this time. As a matter of form a detective was sent
to Gloucester Mansions, and came back with the not unforeseen news
that Mrs. Garth was very angry at being disturbed at such an unearthly
hour. No; she had seen nothing of Mr. Hilton Fenley since the
preceding afternoon. Some one had rung the bell about two o'clock that
morning, but the summons was not repeated; and she had not inquired
into it, thinking that a mistake had been made and discovered by the
blunderer.

Sheldon was brought from his residence. He had a very complete report
concerning Mrs. Lisle; but that lady