e led away. John Dory was already in his
great-coat, ready to spring into the powerful motor-car which had been
ordered out from the garage. A doctor, who had been among the guests,
was examining the man Saunders, who sat in that still, unnatural
position at the head of the table.

"The poor fellow has been shot in the back of the head with some
peculiar implement," he said. "The bullet is very long--almost like a
needle--and it seems to have penetrated very nearly to the base of the
brain."

"Is he dead?" Peter Ruff asked.

The doctor shook his head.

"No!" he answered. "An inch higher up and he must have died at once.
I want some of the men-servants to help me carry him to a bedroom, and
plenty of hot water. Some one else must go for my instrument case."

Lord Sotherst took these things in charge, and John Dory turned to the
man whom they had found standing over him.

"Tell us exactly what happened," he said, briefly.

"I was standing outside the door," the man answered. "I heard no sound
inside--there was nothing to excite suspicion in any way. Suddenly there
was this explosion. It took me, perhaps, thirty or forty seconds to get
the key out of my pocket and unlock the door. When I entered, the side
of the room was blown in like that, the diamonds were gone, Saunders
was leaning forward just in the position he is in now, and there wasn't
another soul in sight. Then you and the others came."

John Dory rushed from the room; they had brought him word that the car
was waiting. At such a moment, he was ready even to forget his ancient
enmity. He turned towards Peter Ruff, whose calm bearing somehow or
other impressed even the detective with a sense of power.

"Will you come along?" he asked.

Peter Ruff shook his head.

"Thank you, Dory, no!" he said. "I am glad you have asked me, but I
think you had better go alone."

A few seconds later, the pursuit was started. Saunders was carried out
of the room, followed by the doctor. There remained only Peter Ruff and
the man who had been on duty outside. Peter Ruff seated himself where
Saunders had been sitting, and seemed to be closely examining the table
all round for some moments. Once he took up something from between the
pages of the book which the Sergeant had apparently been reading, and
put it carefully into his own pocketbook. Then he leaned back in the
chair, with his hands clasped behind his head and his eyes fixed upon
the ceiling, as though thinking i