say that?"

"Philip must have had an enemy."

"Who murdered him last night, you think?"

"An enemy," assented Luke, "who evidently laid in wait for him, and
murdered him last night. It is bound to come out at the inquest."

"About this enemy?" queried Colonel Harris vaguely.

"Why, yes," rejoined Luke a little impatiently, "surely the police
have made other investigations. They are not just fastening on me and
on no one else."

"Could you," asked Louisa, "help the police in that, Luke?"

"No;" he replied, "I know absolutely nothing about Philip or about his
past life."

"Did Lord Radclyffe?"

"I don't know."

"He has been questioned, has he not?"

"He is too ill to see any one. Doctor Newington declares that he must
not attempt to see any one. His condition is critical. Moreover, he is
only partly conscious."

"But----"

"There's Philip's lawyer, Davies," said Luke; "the police ought to be
in communication with him. It is positively ridiculous the way they
seem to do nothing in the way of proper investigation, but only make
up their minds that I have killed my cousin. Why! they don't even seem
to trouble about the weapon with which the murder was committed."

"The weapon----?"

The ejaculation, spoken hardly above a whisper, had come from Colonel
Harris. Once more the old man felt--as he had done in his
brother-in-law's office--that every drop of blood in him had receded
back to his heart, and that he would choke if he attempted to utter
another word.

"They say," continued Luke quietly, "that Philip was killed by the
thrust of a sharp dagger or stiletto, right through the neck. Well,
where is that dagger? Have they found it? Or traced it to its owner?"

Then as Colonel Harris was still silent he reiterated once more:

"Did Sir Thomas tell you if they had found the weapon?"

And Colonel Harris nodded and murmured:

"Yes."

"Actually found the weapon?" insisted Luke.

"Yes."

"Where?"

"Behind the railings--in Green Park--close to Hyde Park corner."

"Was it a stiletto? Or a dagger? Or what?"

"It was a stick with a dagger fitting into it. A snake-wood stick. It
was covered with mud and--other stains."

There was silence in the room now for the space of a few brief
seconds. A silence solemn and full of meaning. All through this rapid
succession of questions and answers between Colonel Harris and Luke,
Louisa had kept her eyes fixed upon the younger man's face, had seen
light indiffe