And even if
they were disposed to let the thing slide, I shouldn't allow it--I
couldn't, after they had been robbed in my house."

"Of course, of course! Then, if I can, I should like to send a message to
Twyford by somebody perfectly trustworthy--not a servant. Could anybody
go?"

"Well, there's Lloyd, although he's only just back from his journey. But,
if it's important, he'll go."

"It is important. The fact is we must have a policeman or two here this
evening, and I'd like Mr. Lloyd to fetch them without telling anybody
else."

Sir James rang, and, in response to his message, Mr. Lloyd appeared. While
Sir James gave his secretary his instructions, Hewitt strolled to the door
of the smoking-room, and intercepted the latter as he came out.

"I'm sorry to give you this trouble, Mr. Lloyd," he said, "but I must stay
here myself for a little, and somebody who can be trusted must go. Will
you just bring back a police-constable with you? or rather two--two would
be better. That is all that is wanted. You won't let the servants know,
will you? Of course there will be a female searcher at the Twyford
police-station? Ah--of course. Well, you needn't bring her, you know. That
sort of thing is done at the station." And, chatting thus confidentially,
Martin Hewitt saw him off.

When Hewitt returned to the smoking-room, Sir James said, suddenly: "Why,
bless my soul, Mr. Hewitt, we haven't fed you! I'm awfully sorry. We came
in rather late for lunch, you know, and this business has bothered me so I
clean forgot everything else. There's no dinner till seven, so you'd
better let me give you something now. I'm really sorry. Come along."

"Thank you, Sir James," Hewitt replied; "I won't take much. A few
biscuits, perhaps, or something of that sort. And, by the by, if you don't
mind, I rather think I should like to take it alone. The fact is I want to
go over this case thoroughly by myself. Can you put me in a room?"

"Any room you like. Where will you go? The dining-room's rather large, but
there's my study, that's pretty snug, or----"

"Perhaps I can go into Mr. Lloyd's room for half an hour or so; I don't
think he'll mind, and it's pretty comfortable."

"Certainly, if you'd like. I'll tell them to send you whatever they've
got."

"Thank you very much. Perhaps they'll also send me a lump of sugar and a
walnut; it's--it's a little fad of mine."

"A--what? A lump of sugar and a walnut?" Sir James stopped for a moment,
w