tell us, Miss
Thurwell?" he asked.

"There is one circumstance which seemed to me at the time suspicious,"
she said slowly. "It was after the body had been carried to Mr. Brown's
house, and I was waiting for my father there. I think I must have
suspected Mr. Brown then, in a lesser degree, for I took the opportunity
of being alone to look into his sitting room. It was rather a mean thing
to do," she added hurriedly, "but I was a little excited at the notion
of his guilt, and I felt that I would do anything to help to bring the
truth to light."

"It was very natural," interposed Mr. Levy, senior, who had been
watching for some time for the opportunity of getting a word in. "Very
natural, indeed."

His son took no notice of the interruption, and Helen continued.

"What I saw may be of no consequence, but I will just tell you what it
was, and what it suggested to me. The window was open, and the leaves of
a laurel shrub just outside were dripping with wet. A little way in the
room was an empty basin, and on the floor by the side was a pile of
books. They might have been there by accident, but it seemed to me as if
they had been purposely placed there to hide something--possibly a stain
on the floor. Before I could move any of them to see, I was disturbed."

"By Mr. Brown?"

"By Mr. Brown and Sir Allan Beaumerville."

"Did you gather from his appearance that he was alarmed at finding you
there?"

Helen shook her head.

"No. He was surprised, certainly, but that was natural. I cannot say
that he looked alarmed."

Mr. Benjamin put away his notes and turned round on his stool.

"A word or two with regard to the business part of this matter, Miss
Thurwell. Are you prepared to spend a good deal of money?"

"If it is necessary, yes."

"Very good. Then I will give you a sketch of my plans. We have agents in
Paris, Vienna, Venice, and other towns, whom I shall at once employ in
tracing out Sir Geoffrey Kynaston's life abroad, concerning which I
already have some useful information. During the rest of the day I shall
make inquiries about Mr. Brown in London. To-morrow I shall be prepared
to come down to Thurwell in any capacity you suggest."

"If you know anything of auditing," she said, "you can come down and go
through the books of the estate at the Court. I can arrange that."

"It will do admirably. These are my plans, then. We shall require from
you, Miss Thurwell, two hundred guineas to send abroad, and forty