s of Cardlestone," he repeated. "Now, what did I argue from
that? Why, of course, that Maitland had been to Cardlestone's rooms
that night. Wasn't he found lying dead at the foot of Cardlestone's
stairs? Aye--but who found him? Not the porter--not the police--not
you, Master Spargo, with all your cleverness. The man who found
Maitland lying dead there that night was--I!"

In the silence that followed, Spargo, who had been making notes of what
Myerst said, suddenly dropped his pencil and thrusting his hands in his
pockets sat bolt upright with a look which Breton, who was watching him
seriously, could not make out. It was the look of a man whose ideas and
conceptions are being rudely upset. And Myerst, too, saw it and he
laughed, more sneeringly than ever.

"That's one for you, Spargo!" he said. "That surprises you--that makes
you think. Now what do you think?--if one may ask."

"I think," said Spargo, "that you are either a consummate liar, or that
this mystery is bigger than before."

"I can lie when it's necessary," retorted Myerst. "Just now it isn't
necessary. I'm telling you the plain truth: there's no reason why I
shouldn't. As I've said before, although you two young bullies have
tied me up in this fashion, you can't do anything against me. I've a
power of attorney from those two old men in there, and that's enough to
satisfy anybody as to my possession of their cheques and securities.
I've the whip hand of you, my sons, in all ways. And that's why I'm
telling you the truth--to amuse myself during this period of waiting.
The plain truth, my sons!"

"In pursuance of which," observed Breton, drily, "I think you mentioned
that you were the first person to find my father lying dead?"

"I was. That is--as far as I can gather. I'll tell you all about it. As
I said, I live over Cardlestone. That night I came home very late--it
was well past one o'clock. There was nobody about--as a matter of fact,
no one has residential chambers in that building but Cardlestone and
myself. I found the body of a man lying in the entry. I struck a match
and immediately recognized my visitor of the afternoon--John Marbury.
Now, although I was so late in going home, I was as sober as a man can
be, and I think pretty quickly at all times. I thought at double extra
speed just then. And the first thing I did was to strip the body of
every article it had on it--money, papers, everything. All these things
are safely locked up--they've neve