s still in progress when the great grey limousine
swung out of St. Giles's and on to the Woodstock road.

All three of its occupants were in a holiday humour. The Judge was
radiant; Orphan proved splendid company; while Blithe, a brilliant
talker, kept the two bubbling with merriment upon a fire of delicate
wit. The miles fairly melted beneath their gaiety. Indeed, it was not
until the Judge's eye caught the message of an odd finger-post that any
one of the three realized that they had passed Blenheim.

"CHIPPING NORTON 8!" cried his lordship. "Gad, gentlemen, we're nearly
there. Blithe, you're a stage-manager in a million. The thing's going
to pan out like a well-written play. What time did you tell Plowman to
expect us?"

"At twelve o'clock," said Blithe. "With any luck we shall just do it
nicely."

"Good!" said the Judge. Then: "I think we'd better pick up Plowman and
take him with us, don't you, Orphan?"

"I think so. For one thing, he knows Lyveden and can introduce us."

"Quite so." His lordship consulted his watch. "We ought to have
landed our fish by a quarter to one. We'd better mark down an hotel
and carry him off to lunch. You'd better speak to him first and just
make sure he's our man."

"Certainly," said Orphan. "I think if I ask him his mother's maiden
name, where he was born, his age, and the name of his uncle's butler,
that ought to do."

"Why the name of the butler?" said Blithe. "Is that a catch?"

"Quite right," said Orphan. "Just to make doubly sure. Old Jonathan
Roach never would have a man-servant in the house. It was a whim of
his. If I get the right answer, I shall be easy for ever. But I don't
want to take any risks with the best part of a million at stake."

"I agree," said Sir Giles. "Have you got some cash for him?"

The other nodded and touched his coat.

"One hundred in notes and a cheque-book. I'll take his specimen
signature, and put a thousand to his credit to-morrow."

"Good!" said the Judge. "That's the style. I wish poor Forest was
here. He'd 've enjoyed it thoroughly. Such a pathetic letter he wrote
me when he sent the will. Blames himself out of all reason for keeping
the document so long. I sent him a line on Friday to say that we'd
found our man. I admit it was rather precipitate, but, all things
considered, I think I was justified. By the time the letter reaches
him it will be a _fait accompli_--and I wanted to ease his mind."

"If