e, you are here," he went on, pouring out the
coffee himself with a firm hand, and looking steadily at the
Superintendent, "with regard to the case of Mrs. Bough? I have expected
that a magistrate's inquiry would follow the Inquest. It seemed only
natural----"

The Superintendent interrupted, holding up a large hand.

"It is my duty to tell you, Dr. Saxham, that everything you say will be
taken down and used against you in evidence."

"Naturally," said Saxham, putting sugar in his coffee. The sugar was used
against him. It amused him now to remember that. The Superintendent had
never seen a gentleman more cool, he told the magistrate.

"You see, sir, this Case has been fully considered by the authorities, and
it has an ugly look; and it has therefore been decided to charge you with
causing the death of the woman Bough by an illegal act, performed here, in
your consulting-room, on the twentieth instant, when she visited you ..."

"For the first time," put in Saxham quietly.

"That may be or may not be," said the Superintendent. "You were often at
her husband's place of business, you know, and may have seen her or not
seen her."

"As she used to be in Bough's shop, it is possible that a great many of
the man's customers besides myself did see her," Saxham went on, eating
his breakfast.

"One of my men out there in the hall--I've noticed you looking towards the
door----" began the Superintendent.

"Wondering what the shuffling and breathing at the keyhole meant?" said
Saxham quietly. "Thank you for explaining."

"One of my men will fetch a cab when you have finished breakfast, and
then, sir," said the Superintendent, "I am afraid I must trouble you to
come with me to Paddington Police Station."

"Very well," said Saxham, frowning, "unless you object to using my
brougham, which will be at the door"--he looked at his silver table-clock,
a present from a grateful patient--"in ten minutes' time."

"I don't at all mind that, sir," agreed the obliging Superintendent; "and
the men can follow in the cab. Any objection?"

Saxham had winced and flushed scarlet to the hair.

"For God's sake, don't make a procession of it! Let things be kept as
quiet as possible for the sake of my--family--and--my friends." He thought
with agony of Mildred. They were to be married in July, unless----

The Superintendent coughed behind his glove. "The question of Bail will
rest with the magistrate, of course," he said. "But I should ex