an
identify any of their property; and those who do so can attend the
inquest tomorrow, though I don't suppose they will be called. The chief
will be mightily pleased when he hears what has taken place, for he has
been sadly worried by these constant complaints, and I fancy that
the authorities have been rather down upon him on the subject. The
announcement that the career of this famous robber has been brought to
an end will cause quite a sensation, and people round the commons on the
south side will sleep more quietly than they have done lately. I expect
that if he had not put an end to himself we should have had to send him
across to Newington today, for of course it is a Surrey business, though
we have had the luck to take him. I suppose we shall not see much of you
in the future, Mr. Thorndyke?"

"No indeed," Mark said. "My business is done, and I shall send in my
resignation this morning. I don't regret the time that I have spent over
it; I have learned a great deal, and have seen a lot of the shady side
of life, and have picked up experience in a good many ways."

Mark, after requesting the Inspector to find a man to go over to
Streatham and bring back his horse, and writing an order to the ostler
to deliver it, walked across to his lodgings. Upon the whole, he was
not sorry that Bastow had taken the matter into his own hands; he had,
certainly, while engaged in the search, looked forward to seeing him in
the dock and witnessing his execution, but he now felt that enough had
been done for vengeance, and that it was as well that the matter had
ended as it had. He was wearied out with the excitement of the last
forty-eight hours. It was one o'clock when he awoke, and after dressing
and going into Covent Garden to lunch at one of the coffee houses, he
made his way up to Islington.

"Taking a day's holiday?" Millicent asked as he came in.

"Well, not exactly, Millicent; I have left school altogether."

"Left school, Mark? Do you mean that you have decided that it is of no
use going on any longer?"

"I have given it up because I have finished it. Arthur Bastow was
captured last night, and committed suicide as he was being taken to the
station."

An exclamation of surprise broke from Mrs. Cunningham and Millicent.

"It seems horrid to be glad that anyone has taken his own life," the
latter said; "but I cannot help feeling so, for as long as he lived I
should never have considered that you were safe, and beside