representatives of the Press were excluded.

"'Returning to Court at the expiration of forty minutes--by which
time the absent juror had recovered sufficiently to take his
seat--the Coroner directed an open verdict to be entered and the
inquiry closed.

"'The intrusive visitor did not reappear. We understand that he
was found to be suffering from acute mental derangement and is
at present under medical treatment as well as under supervision
of the police, who are closely watching the case. They preserve
great reticence on the whole subject and very rightly so in
these days, considering the number of enemy plotters in our
midst, and that the neighbourhood of 'C--' in particular is
known to be infested with their activities.'"

"Is that all?" asked Polkinghorne.

"That's all; and about enough, I should say, for this Penny Reading."

"When did it happen?"

"Can't tell. The top of the sheet's torn off." Barham pushed the
paper across. "By the look, it's a bit of an old _Daily Chronicle_.
I found it wrapping one of my old riding boots, that I haven't worn
since I took to a sedentary life. Higgs must have picked it up at
our last move--"

"Do you want the date?" put in Otway. "If so, it was in January
last--January the 18th, to be exact."

"But--"

"I mean the date of the inquest. The paper would be next morning's--
Wednesday the 19th," Otway went on in a curious level voice, as
though spelling the information for them out of the lamplight on the
table.

Barham stared. "But--" he began again--"but _how_, sir?"

Polkinghorne, who also had stared for a moment, broke in with a
laugh. "The C.O. is pulling your leg, Sammy. He tore off the top of
your paper--it was lying around all this morning--noted the date and
thought he might safely make a pipe-spill."

"That won't do," retorted Barham, still searching Otway's face on
which there seemed to rest a double shadow. "For when I turned it
out of my valise this morning I carefully looked for the date--I'll
swear I did--and it was missing."

"Then you tore the thing in unpacking, and the C.O. picked up the
scrap you overlooked. Isn't that the explanation, sir?"

"No," said Otway after a pause, still as if he spoke under control of
a muted pedal. He checked himself, apparently on the point of
telling more; but the pause grew into a long silence.

Barham tried back. "January, you said, sir? . . .