ed. Mrs. Inglethorp reads it, and
becomes aware of the perfidy of her husband and Evelyn Howard, though,
unfortunately, the sentence about the bromides conveys no warning to
her mind. She knows that she is in danger--but is ignorant of where the
danger lies. She decides to say nothing to her husband, but sits down
and writes to her solicitor, asking him to come on the morrow, and she
also determines to destroy immediately the will which she has just made.
She keeps the fatal letter."

"It was to discover that letter, then, that her husband forced the lock
of the despatch-case?"

"Yes, and from the enormous risk he ran we can see how fully he realized
its importance. That letter excepted, there was absolutely nothing to
connect him with the crime."

"There's only one thing I can't make out, why didn't he destroy it at
once when he got hold of it?"

"Because he did not dare take the biggest risk of all--that of keeping
it on his own person."

"I don't understand."

"Look at it from his point of view. I have discovered that there were
only five short minutes in which he could have taken it--the five
minutes immediately before our own arrival on the scene, for before
that time Annie was brushing the stairs, and would have seen anyone who
passed going to the right wing. Figure to yourself the scene! He enters
the room, unlocking the door by means of one of the other doorkeys--they
were all much alike. He hurries to the despatch-case--it is locked, and
the keys are nowhere to be seen. That is a terrible blow to him, for it
means that his presence in the room cannot be concealed as he had hoped.
But he sees clearly that everything must be risked for the sake of that
damning piece of evidence. Quickly, he forces the lock with a penknife,
and turns over the papers until he finds what he is looking for.

"But now a fresh dilemma arises: he dare not keep that piece of paper on
him. He may be seen leaving the room--he may be searched. If the paper
is found on him, it is certain doom. Probably, at this minute, too, he
hears the sounds below of Mr. Wells and John leaving the boudoir. He
must act quickly. Where can he hide this terrible slip of paper? The
contents of the waste-paper-basket are kept and in any case, are sure to
be examined. There are no means of destroying it; and he dare not keep
it. He looks round, and he sees--what do you think, mon ami?"

I shook my head.

"In a moment, he has torn the letter into long t