ll. It will depend entirely upon how
events shape themselves, Miss Brellier. You may hear soon--you may not
hear at all. But I believe in his innocence as deeply as you do.
Therefore you must be content that I shall do my best, _whatever_
happens. Good-bye."

He gave her fingers a soft squeeze, held them a moment and then, dropping
them, bowed and swung upon his heel to join Mr. Narkom, who was standing
near by, the last of the group of interested spectators of that
afternoon's ghastly business. Dollops stood a little back from them,
awaiting his orders.

"We'll have some supper at the village 'pub,' my dear Lake," said Cleek
in a loud, clear voice that carried to every corner of the deserted
garden, "and then come back to the Towers long enough to pack up our
traps and clear out of this haunted house altogether. The case is one too
many for me, and I'm chucking it." Mr. Narkom opened his mouth to speak,
but his colleague gave him no opportunity. "It's a bit too fishy for my
liking," he went on, "when the only clues a man's got to go on are a
dancing flame and a patch of charred grass--which, by the way, never
struck me as particularly interesting at the best of times--and when
evidence points so strongly toward young Merriton's guilt. All I can
say is, let's go. That's the ticket for me."

"And for me also, old man!" agreed Mr. Narkom, emphatically, following
Cleek's lead though rather in the dark. "It's back to London for me,
whenever you're ready."

"And that'll be as soon as Dollops can pack my things and get 'em off to
the station."

CHAPTER XXII

A NEW DEPARTURE

The question of packing was a very small matter altogether, and it was
barely seven o'clock when, this finished, Cleek and Mr. Narkom had
collected their coats and hats from the hat-stand, given Borkins the
benefit of their very original ideas as to closing up the house and
clearing out of it as soon as possible, each of them slipped a sovereign
into his hand, and were standing talking a short while at the open front
door. The chill of the evening crept into the house in cold breaths,
turning the gloomy hall into a good representation of a family vault.

"All I can say," said Cleek, chewing a cigar, his hands in his trousers'
pockets, and his feet rocking from toe to heel, "is--get out of it,
Borkins, as soon as you can. I don't mind tellin' you, I'm jolly glad to
be clearin' out myself. It's been a devilish uncanny business from first