r, or Paul Berton, had been left handcuffed and
bound by ropes to the bedpost, but he had managed to evade his bondage
sufficiently to get to a drawer in which must have been a loaded
revolver, and he had thus set himself free.

"Let the dead past bury its dead," said Cleek quietly. "The world need
only know that one impostor killed another, and finally shot himself
when the law discovered the truth."

He bent down and swiftly removed the handcuffs from the still figure,
and the General gave vent to a deep sigh of relief just as the startled
servants came flocking up the staircase.

The riddle of the night had been solved, and their secret lay buried in
the grave.

* * * * *

It was an hour afterward. In the seclusion of the General's study, he
and Narkom and Cleek sat talking over the events of the night.

"You must not accord me too much honour, General," said Cleek. "For
after all I did not ferret out the entire truth until I came face to
face with Paul Berton, who told me the facts, under force, it is true.
It was, as I have already explained, he who killed the poor Common
keeper when that unfortunate man interrupted his headlong dash for
freedom. Then, General, borrowing a leaf from the book of a certain
person known as the 'Vanishing Cracksman,' with whom he had had some
dealings in other days, he leaped upon the unfortunate man, beat him to
the ground, and hastily robbed him of his uniform. You know the rest:
the assassin's blows were perhaps harder than he had intended, and so
another life was added to the list. I confess I was puzzled at first by
Lady Katharine's part in the affair and the ermine cloak, as I knew
there were at least two women on the Common that night. But I managed to
look into Mrs. Raynor's room in one of my rambles, and there I saw an
ermine cloak soiled at the edges. The maid told me, unconscious of doing
either harm or good, that she had just fetched it from Lady Katharine's
room, as she had borrowed it a couple of days ago. I had already made up
my mind after overhearing a certain interview between the lovers, that
Lady Katharine must have acquired the habit of walking in her sleep, and
so that part of the mystery was made clear. But I am afraid I have given
you an unpleasant time, General, and I have had to spy about a good
deal. However, I think we may agree with the immortal Shakespeare that
after all, 'All's well that ends well.'"

He turned and p