arrangements, it would seem impossible for anything to
have entered; and, as young Drake rightly says, the worst of it is
that the murder followed so close upon the heels of his quarrel
and promised disinheritance, that his father had no time to alter
the will which left him sole heir to everything; so that possibly
people will talk."

"Undoubtedly," agreed Cleek. "And yet you said there was no motive
and absolutely no clue. M' yes! I wonder if I shall like this
independent young gentleman quite so well after I have seen him."

"Oh, my dear fellow! Good heavens, man, you can't possibly think of
suspecting him. Remember, it is he himself who brings the case--that
the Yard would never have had anything to do with it but for him."

"Quite so. But the local constabulary would; and the simplest way
to blind a jackass is to throw dust in his eyes. They are natural
born actors, the Americans; they are good schemers and fine planners.
Their native game is 'bluff,' and they are very, very careful in
the matter of detail."

Then he pinched up his chin and sat silent for a moment, watching
the green fields and the pleasant farmlands as the limousine went
pelting steadily on.

CHAPTER XXVII

"Suppose, now, that you have succeeded in putting the cart before
the horse, Mr. Narkom," Cleek said suddenly, "you proceed to give
me, not the ramifications of the case, but the case itself. You
have repeatedly spoken of the murder having taken place in some
place which is difficult of access and under most mystifying
circumstances. Now, if you don't mind, I should like to hear what
those circumstances are."

"All right, old chap, I'll give you the details as briefly as
possible. In the first place, you must know that Heatherington Hall
is a very ancient place, dating back, indeed, to those pleasant
times when a nobleman's home had to be something of a fortress as
well, if he didn't want to wake up some fine morning and find his
place 'sacked,' his roof burnt over his head, and himself and his
lady either held for ransom or freed from any possibility of having
'headaches' thereafter. Now, a round tower with only one door by
which to enter, and no windows other than narrow slits, through
which the bowmen could discharge their shafts at an attacking party
without exposing themselves to the dangers of a return fire, was the
usual means of defence adopted--you'll see dozens of them in Suffolk,
dear chap, but whether for reasons