imagination and
from books on the supernatural compiled from the imagination--or, as the
various writers called it--the experience of others. Some agreed with
her, others laughed at her; but one and all acknowledged that, however
it came about, whether by ghostly or mortal means, the murder of Vrain
was a riddle never likely to be solved; and, with other events of a
like nature and mystery, it was relegated to the list of undiscovered
crimes.

After several interviews with Link, the barrister was also inclined to
take this view of the matter. He found the detective quite discouraged
in his efforts to find the assassin.

"I have been to Bath," said Link dismally. "I have examined, so far as I
was able, into the past life of Vrain, but I can find nothing likely to
throw light on the subject. He did not get on well with his wife, and
left Bath ten months before the murder. I tried to trace where he went
to, but could not. He vanished from Bath quite unexpectedly, and four
months later turned up in Geneva Square, as we know, but who killed him,
or why he was killed, I can't say. I'm afraid I'll have to give it up as
a bad job, Mr. Denzil."

"What! and lose a reward of five hundred pounds!" said Lucian.

"If it was five thousand, I must lose it," returned the dejected Link.
"This case beats me. I don't believe the murderer will ever be run
down."

"Upon my word, I am inclined to agree with you," said Denzil, and
barrister and detective departed, each convinced that the Vrain case was
ended, and that in the face of the insuperable obstacles presented by it
there was not the slightest chance of avenging the murder of the
unfortunate man. The reading of the mystery was beyond mortal powers to
accomplish.

* * * * *

About the middle of April, nearly four months after the tragedy, Lucian
received a letter containing an invitation which caused him no little
astonishment. The note was signed Diana Vrain, and, having intimated
that the writer had returned only that week from Australia, requested
that Mr. Denzil would be kind enough to call the next day at the Royal
John Hotel in Kensington. Miss Vrain ended by stating that she had a
particular desire to converse with Mr. Denzil, and hoped that he would
not fail to keep the appointment.

Wondering greatly how the lady--who was no doubt the stepdaughter
referred to by Mrs. Vrain--had obtained his address, and why she desired
to see him so par