fort. But he quite
broke down at the thought of leaving the old place, and as he
wouldn't listen to such a thing as being paid for doing nothing,
we humoured his whim and let him stay on as a sort of handy man. I
am sorry to say that Bevis, little rogue, takes advantage of his
inability to run, and plays no end of pranks upon him. But he
adores the boy, and never complains."

Cleek, who had been studying the man fixedly with his narrowed
eyes--and remembering what had been said of Diamond Nick's skill at
impersonation, the while they were crossing the lawn--here twitched
his head, as if casting off a thought which annoyed him, and turned a
bland look upon Lady Leake.

"One last question, your ladyship," he said. "I think you said that
Jennifer was cleaning the hall at the time your stepson left the
house; and, as, presumably, you wouldn't overwork a crippled old chap
like that, how happened it that he was still at his labours at ten
minutes past seven o'clock in the evening? That's rather late to
be cleaning up a hall, isn't it?"

"Yes, much _too_ late," she acknowledged. "But it couldn't be helped
in the present instance. The gasfitters didn't finish their work
as early as we had hoped, and as he couldn't begin until they _had_
finished, he was delayed in starting."

"The gasfitters, eh? Oho! So you had those chaps in the house
yesterday, did you?"

"Yes. There had been an unpleasant leakage of gas in both the music
room and the main hall, for two or three days, and as the men had to
take down the fixtures to get to the seat of the trouble, Jennifer
improved the opportunity to give the chandelier and the brackets
a thorough cleaning, since he couldn't of course start to clear up
the mess the workmen made until after they had finished and gone.
But--Mr. Cleek! _They_ couldn't have had anything to do with the
affair, for they left the house at least ten minutes before the
Ladder of Light came into it. So, naturally----This is the door
of the music room, gentlemen. Come in, please."

The invitation was accepted at once, and in another half minute
Cleek and Mr. Narkom found themselves standing in a wonderful
white-and-gold room, under a huge crystal chandelier of silver
and cut glass, and looking out through an arched opening, hung
with sulphur-coloured draperies, into a sort of baronial hall
equipped with armour and tapestries, and broad enough to drive a
coach through without danger to its contents.

From this