bly dressed.

"You Mr. Tweddle the hairdresser?" the stranger inquired.

Leander felt a wild impulse to deny it, and declare that he was his own
friend, and had come to see himself on business, for he was in no social
mood just then; but he ended by admitting that he supposed he was Mr.
Tweddle.

"So did I. Well, I want a little private talk with you, Mr. Tweddle.
I've been hanging about for some time; but though I knocked and rang, I
couldn't make a soul hear."

"There isn't a soul inside," protested Tweddle, with unnecessary warmth;
"not a solitary soul! You wanted to talk with me. Suppose we take a turn
round the square?"

"No, no. I won't keep you out; I'll come in with you!"

Inwardly wondering what his visitor wanted, Leander led him in and lit
the gas in his hair-cutting saloon. "We shall be cosier here," he said;
for he dared not take the stranger up in the room where the statue was
concealed, for fear of accidents.

The man sat down in the operating-chair and crossed his legs. "I dare
say you're wondering what I've come about like this on a Sunday
afternoon?" he began.

"Not at all," said Leander. "Anything I can have the pleasure of doing
for you----"

"It's only to answer a few questions. I understand you lost a ring at
the Rosherwich Gardens yesterday evening: that's so, isn't it?"

He was a military looking person, as Leander now perceived, and he had a
close-trimmed iron-grey beard, a high colour, quick eyes, and a stiff
hard-lipped mouth--not at all the kind of man to trifle with. And yet
Leander felt no inclination to tell him his story; the stranger might be
a reporter, and his adventure would "get into the papers"--perhaps reach
Matilda's eyes.

"I--I dropped a ring last night, certainly," he said; "it may have been
in the gardens, for what I know."

"Now, now," said the stranger, "don't you _know_ it was in the gardens?
Tell me all about it."

"Begging your pardon," said Leander, "I should like to know first what
call you have to _be_ told."

"You're quite right--perfectly right. I always deal straightforwardly
when I can. I'll tell you who I am. I'm Inspector Bilbow, of the
Criminal Investigation Department, Scotland Yard. Now, perhaps, you'll
see I'm not a man to be kept in the dark. And I want you to tell me when
and where you last saw that ring of yours: it's to your own interest, if
you want to see it again."

But Leander _had_ seen it again, and it seemed certain that all Sco