r last night,
and there was a person of your name mentioned. Are you that Glassdale?"

"The same, Mr. Folliot," answered the visitor, promptly.

"Then you knew Braden--the man who lost his life here?" asked Folliot.

"Very well indeed," replied Glassdale.

"For how long?" demanded Folliot.

"Some years--as a mere acquaintance, seen now and then," said Glassdale.
"A few years, recently, as what you might call a close friend."

"Tell you any of his secrets?" asked Folliot.

"Yes, he did!" answered Glassdale.

"Anything that seems to relate to his death--and the mystery about it?"
inquired Folliot.

"I think so," said Glassdale. "Upon consideration, I think so!"

"Ah--and what might it be, now?" continued Folliot. He gave Glassdale
a look which seemed to denote and imply several things. "It might be to
your advantage to explain a bit, you know," he added. "One has to be a
little--vague, eh?"

"There was a certain man that Braden was very anxious to find," said
Glassdale. "He'd been looking for him for a good many years."

"A man?" asked Folliot. "One?"

"Well, as a matter of fact, there were two," admitted Glassdale, "but
there was one in particular. The other--the second--so Braden said,
didn't matter; he was or had been, only a sort of cat's-paw of the man
he especially wanted."

"I see," said Folliot. He pulled out a cigar case and offered a cigar to
his visitor, afterwards lighting one himself. "And what did Braden want
that man for?" he asked.

Glassdale waited until his cigar was in full going order before he
answered this question. Then he replied in one word.

"Revenge!"

Folliot put his thumbs in the armholes of his buff waistcoat and leaning
back, seemed to be admiring his roses.

"Ah!" he said at last. "Revenge, now? A sort of vindictive man, was he?
Wanted to get his knife into somebody, eh?"

"He wanted to get something of his own back from a man who'd done him,"
answered Glassdale, with a short laugh. "That's about it!"

For a minute or two both men smoked in silence. Then Folliot--still
regarding his roses--put a leading question.

"Give you any details?" he asked.

"Enough," said Glassdale. "Braden had been done--over a money
transaction--by these men--one especially, as head and front of the
affair--and it had cost him--more than anybody would think! Naturally,
he wanted--if he ever got the chance--his revenge. Who wouldn't?"

"And he'd tracked 'em down, eh?" asked Folliot.