ook up was:--

"To William Anstruther, Esq.
For the expenses of the journey to Valoro."

I opened it and found it to contain four fifty pound notes. On the
other was my name, and beneath it:--

"A slight honorarium by way of compensation for time lost on the
journey."

It contained a Bank of England note for one thousand pounds. I sat
with the note in my hand for some time; it was the first for that
amount which I had ever come across.

However, not without some considerable satisfaction, I admit, I put up
the note into its envelope again and packed it with the other into the
box. I very carefully replaced the ebony casket after a glance of
admiration at its beautifully inlaid workmanship.

I closed the box up as before, and, making free with Mr. Snowdon's
stationery, put it in a fresh linen lined envelope and sealed it up
again. This time with my own seal. I treated the letter in the same
way, packing it up with the hankerchief and the key, then directed the
two to myself, care of my lawyers. I intended to leave both in their
care as before. I had ample confidence in their strong room. I had
barely completed this task and thrown the old wrappers into the fire,
when there came a knock at the door; the managing clerk entered with
rather a scared look on his face.

"There are two men waiting to see you downstairs, Mr. Anstruther," he
announced, "and I rather think they are police officers."

Instinctively as he spoke I thrust the two packets before me into
pigeon holes of the writing table I was sitting at, and he saw me do it.

Before I could make any reply, the door was pushed open behind him, and
two men entered; the foremost of them walked up to the table.

"Are you Mr. William Anstruther?" he asked.

He was a tall, dark, fresh-coloured man with sharp grey eyes, his
companion had the appearance of an ordinary constable in plain clothes.

"Yes," I answered, rising, "I am William Anstruther."

"Then I arrest you, William Anstruther," he said, "on suspicion of
causing the death of an old lady, name unknown, whose body was
discovered at daybreak this morning on Lansdown, near Bath, with her
throat cut. You'll have to come with us down to Bath to be charged."

Here was a terrible development!

My first thoughts were of pity for the poor old lady. How I wished I
had been able to save her life.

"Very well," I answered as coolly as I could. "I suppose there is no
help for it, and I had better