eath after so short an interval; and if the permission should be
postponed, the will might never be administered during my lifetime.
Hence, if these bones of Sebek-hotep could be made to simulate the
remains of the deceased testator, a definite good would be achieved.
But I knew that the entire skeleton could never be mistaken for his.
The deceased had broken his knee-caps and damaged his ankle, injuries
which I assumed would leave some permanent trace. But if a judicious
selection of the bones were deposited in a suitable place, together
with some object clearly identifiable as appertaining to the deceased,
it seemed to me that the difficulty would be met. I need not trouble
you with details. The course which I adopted is known to you with the
attendant circumstances, even the accidental detachment of the right
hand--which broke off as I was packing the arm in my handbag.
Erroneous as that course was, it would have been successful but for the
unforeseen contingency of your being retained in the case.

"Thus, for nearly two years, I remained in complete security. From
time to time I dropped in at the Museum to see if the deceased was
keeping in good condition; and on those occasions I used to reflect
with satisfaction on the gratifying circumstance--accidental though it
was--that his wishes, as expressed (very imperfectly) in clause two,
had been fully complied with, and that without prejudice to my
interests.

"The awakening came on that evening when I saw you at the Temple gate
talking with Doctor Berkeley. I suspected immediately that something
was gone amiss and that it was too late to take any useful action.
Since then, I have waited here in hourly expectation of this visit.
And now the time has come. You have made the winning move and it
remains only for me to pay my debts like an honest gambler."

He paused and quietly lit his cigarette. Inspector Badger yawned and
put away his notebook.

"Have you done, Mr. Jellicoe?" the inspector asked. "I want to carry
out my contract to the letter, you know, though it's getting devilish
late."

Mr. Jellicoe took his cigarette from his mouth and drank a glass of
water.

"I forgot to ask," he said, "whether you unrolled the mummy--if I may
apply the term to the imperfectly treated remains of my deceased
client."

"I did not open the mummy-case," replied Thorndyke.

"You did not!" exclaimed Mr. Jellicoe. "Then how did you verify your
suspicions?"

"I took