step remarkably light and
remarkably graceful for one of such weight and generous dimensions.

"Miss Renfrew," said Cleek, sinking his voice and looking her
straight in the eyes, as soon as Mrs. Armroyd had left them, "Miss
Renfrew, tell me something please: Have you any suspicion regarding
the identity or the purpose of the person who murdered your uncle?"

"Not in the slightest, Mr. Headland. Of course, in the beginning, my
thoughts flew at once to Sir Ralph Droger, but I now see how absurd
it is to think that such as he----"

"I am not even hinting at Sir Ralph Droger," interposed Cleek. "Two
other people in the world have a 'motive' quite as strong as any
that might be assigned to him. You, of course, feel every confidence
in the honour and integrity of Mr. Charles Drummond?"

"Mr. Headland!"

"Gently, gently, please! I merely wished to know if in your heart you
had any secret doubt; and your flaring up like that has answered me.
You see, one has to remember that the late Mr. Nosworth is said to
have made a will in your favour. The statement is correct, is it not?"

"To the best of my belief--yes."

"Filed it with his solicitors, did he?"

"That I can't say. I think not, however. He was always sufficient
unto himself, and had a rooted objection to trusting anything of
value to the care of any man living. Even his most important
documents--plans and formulas of his various inventions, even
the very lease of this property--have always been kept in the
desk in the laboratory."

"Hum-m-m!" said Cleek, and pinched his chin hard. Then, after a
moment. "One last question," he went on suddenly. "What do you know,
Miss Renfrew, of the recent movements of Mr. Harry Nosworth--the
son who was kicked out?"

"Nothing, absolutely nothing!" she answered, with a look of something
akin to horror. "I know what you are thinking of, but although he
is as bad as man can be, it is abominable to suppose that he would
lift his hand against his own father."

"Hum-m-m! Yes, of course! But still, it has been known to happen;
and, as you say, he was a bad lot. I ran foul of the young gentleman
once when----No matter; it doesn't signify. So you don't know
anything about him, eh?"

"Nothing, thank God. The last I did hear, he had gone on the stage
and taken up with some horrible creature, and the pair of them were
subsequently sent to prison for enticing people to dreadful places
and then drugging and robbing them. But even that I