s that Maitland had that carefully planted
before his arrest; that he dug it up when he came put of Dartmoor; that
he took it off to Australia with him; that he brought it back with him;
and that, of course, the silver ticket and the photograph had been in
it all these years. Now----"

At that moment the door of the library was opened, and a parlourmaid
looked in at her master.

"There's the boots from the 'Dragon' at the front door, sir," she said.
"He's brought two telegrams across from there for Mr. Spargo, thinking
he might like to have them at once."

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

ARRESTED

Spargo hurried out to the hall, took the two telegrams from the boots
of the "Dragon," and, tearing open the envelopes, read the messages
hastily. He went back to Mr. Quarterpage.

"Here's important news," he said as he closed the library door and
resumed his seat. "I'll read these telegrams to you, sir, and then we
can discuss them in the light of what we've been talking about this
morning. The first is from our office. I told you we sent over to
Australia for a full report about Marbury at the place he said he
hailed from--Coolumbidgee. That report's just reached the _Watchman_,
and they've wired it on to me. It's from the chief of police at
Coolumbidgee to the editor of the _Watchman_, London:--

"John Marbury came to Coolumbidgee in the winter of 1898-9. He was
unaccompanied. He appeared to be in possession of fairly considerable
means and bought a share in a small sheep-farm from its proprietor,
Andrew Robertson, who is still here, and who says that Marbury never
told him anything about himself except that he had emigrated for health
reasons and was a widower. He mentioned that he had had a son who was
dead, and was now without relations. He lived a very quiet, steady life
on the sheep-farm, never leaving it for many years. About six months
ago, however, he paid a visit to Melbourne, and on returning told
Robertson that he had decided to return to England in consequence of
some news he had received, and must therefore sell his share in the
farm. Robertson bought it from him for three thousand pounds, and
Marbury shortly afterwards left for Melbourne. From what we could
gather, Robertson thinks Marbury was probably in command of five or six
thousand when he left Coolumbidgee. He told Robertson that he had met a
man in Melbourne who had given him news that surprised him, but did not
say what news. He had in his possess