hom you thought
was murdered, is not dead. He came here an hour or two ago, and was in
with Sir Ralph for quite a time."

"Oh." The detective smiled incredulously, and snapping open his
cigar-case selected a smoke, nipped off the end, and deliberately struck
a match. "You've got hold of some cock-and-bull idea. I suppose you've
deceived yourself with some fancied resemblance."

"It was Mr. Grell himself, I tell you," averred the servant earnestly.
"Don't I know him well enough? He was roughly dressed and had shaved off
his moustache, but I'm certain of it. He came up by the lift as large as
life with a note for Sir Ralph. I didn't notice him much at first,
because I thought he was a street messenger. But when Sir Ralph told me
to bring him in I had a good look at him. I knew I had seen him before,
but the change in him threw me off for a while. It was only after I left
him with Sir Ralph that it came on me like a shot. I knew that there was
a reward out in connection with the murder, and I came on to you at
once. If you had been in I should have told you all this then, but Sir
Ralph came after me and promised to pay me well to keep my tongue
between my teeth. But right is right, sir, and I hope you'll do what you
can for me. For I'll take my dying oath that the man I saw here was Mr.
Grell."

With calm, expressionless face Foyle listened. His inferences were
justified. It would be necessary to keep Roberts from gossipping, and
for that reason it was policy to discount the importance of his
information. The detective puffed a cloud of smoke to the ceiling.

"You seem pretty sure of yourself. I think you've made a mistake, but
we'll go into the thing fully and you'll get whatever your information
is worth. How long was this chap in with your master?"

"I don't know. I didn't see him come out. He had been in there about
ten minutes when I started out to see you."

"Right. Now I'm going to wait here till your master comes back. You can
deny that I have questioned you, or that you have told me anything, if
you like. I shan't give you away. Where's the telephone?"

With a little breath of relief the servant conducted Foyle to an inner
room and pointed out the instrument. A few seconds sufficed to put the
superintendent in communication with Green, and in a quick, low-voiced
conversation he was told what device had been practised to keep Sir
Ralph away.

"I'll let him go now, then?" said Green, and his superior assent