nding forward across the table, listening
eagerly--and there was a question in all our thoughts, which Mr.
Lindsey put into words.

"The man's name?"

"It was given to me, in Jermyn Street that morning, as Meekin--Dr.
Meekin," answered Mr. Elphinstone. "Gilbert Carstairs, as you're aware,
was a medical man himself--he'd qualified, anyway--and this was a friend
of his. But that was all I gathered then--they were both up to the eyes
in their preparations, for they were off for Southampton that night,
and I left them to it--and, of course, never heard of them again. But
now to come back to the police court the other day: I tell you, I
was--purposely--in a quiet corner, and there I kept till the case was
over; but just when everybody was getting away, the man on the bench
caught sight of me--"

"Ah!" exclaimed Mr. Lindsey, looking across at me. "Ah! that's another
reason--that supplements the ice-ax one! Aye!--he caught sight of you,
Mr. Elphinstone--"

"And," continued Mr. Elphinstone, "I saw a queer, puzzled look come into
his face. He looked again--looked hard. I took no notice of his look,
though I continued to watch him, and presently he turned away and went
out. But I knew he had recognized me as a man he had seen somewhere. Now
remember, when Gilbert Carstairs introduced me to this man, Gilbert did
not mention any connection of mine with Hathercleugh--he merely spoke
of me as an old friend; so Meekin, when he came into these parts, would
have no idea of finding me here. But I saw he was afraid--badly
afraid--because of his recognition and doubt about me. And the next
question was--what was I to do? I'm not the man to do things in haste,
and I could see this was a black, deep business, with maybe two murders
in it. I went off and got my lunch--and thought. At the end of it, rather
than go to the police, I went to your office, Mr. Lindsey. And your
office was locked up, and you were all away for the day. And then an idea
struck me: I have a relative--the man outside with Murray--who's a
high-placed officer in the Criminal Investigation Department at New
Scotland Yard--I would go to him. So--I went straight off to London by
the very next South express. Why? To see if he could trace anything about
this Meekin."

"Aye!" nodded Mr. Lindsey admiringly. "You were in the right of it,
there--that was a good notion. And--you did?"

"Not since the Jermyn Street affair," answered Mr. Elphinstone. "We
traced him in the med