when even the local police had not yet learned of
it, and he threw out this "feeler" hoping that young Clavering would rid
himself of any shadow of complicity by at once rejecting it. To his
disappointment, however, Geoff rose to it as a trout to a fly; and his
face, which had betrayed a strong effort to repress an overwhelming
agitation from the instant Narkom made mention of the crime, now lit
with something like relief and thankfulness.

"Yes, that's the case. You have guessed it, monsieur," he said
gratefully, a sound that seemed a curious blend of a sigh and a sob
getting into his voice despite an effort to keep it level and
emotionless. "I had gone to bed--that is, I mean to say I was getting
ready to go to bed--but I knew I shouldn't be able to sleep, so I came
down into the grounds for a walk and a smoke. The open air always does
me good. All at once a motor came along with Mellish, the police
constable, in it. I stopped him, and he told me of this awful thing. I
nearly went mad. To think what it means to my dear girl! She hasn't
heard yet, of course----"

"No," said Mr. Narkom. "She will have to be told in the morning. Poor
girl, it will be a shock to her, but it means a great obstacle removed
from your path."

"Yes," agreed the young man uneasily. "That's what made me so anxious to
come here and find out for myself if the murderer had been traced. You
see I lost my head a bit to-night," he added half apologetically, "and
you never know what people will say, so I was just coming cautiously
along when that cheeky young chap threw himself on me, mistaking me, I
suppose, for the assassin."

He made an attempt to laugh, but even to Mr. Narkom it was palpable that
the young fellow was making a desperate effort to cover up his
agitation.

"You can't, in the circumstances, blame him for that, Geoff," replied
Narkom. "Besides, it was a most indiscreet thing for you--you of all
men--to come here to-night, especially after what happened at the
Close."

"You mean about my threatening De Louvisan?"

"Yes. At least twenty or thirty persons heard that; and although after
you were calmer and the Austrian had left the house, you excused
yourself to your guests and were said to have gone to your room for the
night----"

"I did go to it!" rapped in Geoff excitedly. "Purviss, my valet, will
prove that if there's any question regarding it. Simply because I didn't
have the heart to indulge in any more dancing or tomfoole