He realised that in any case Theodore
Carden was no fool; for the first time that day the terrible suspicion
came into Major Lane's mind that the man before him might, after all,
be more closely connected with the Garvice mystery than had seemed
possible.

Never, during his long connection with crime, had the Head Constable
come across as good an actor, as cool a liar, as he now knew this
young man of business to be. Well, he would give Carden one more
chance to tell the truth; Theodore was devoted to his father, so much
was certainly true, and perhaps his father would be able to make him
understand the gravity of the case. Major Lane felt bitterly sorry
that he had come first to the old man--but, then, he had so completely
believed in the "scrape" theory; and now he hardly knew what to
believe!

The old man, still sitting by the fire, had caught a few of the
muttered words, and before Major Lane could leave the room Thomas
Carden had risen from his chair, his face paler, perhaps, than usual,
but once more his collected, dignified self. "Stay," he said firmly;
"having gone so far, I think we should now thresh the matter out."

He walked over to where his son and his friend were standing, and he
put his hand on the older man's arm. "Perhaps I cannot expect you,
Lane, to be convinced, as I, of course, have been convinced, by my
son's denials. It is, as I told you this afternoon, either a plot on
the part of some one who bears a grudge against us, or else--what I
think more likely--there are two men in this great town each bearing
the name of Theodore Carden. But I appreciate, I deeply appreciate,
the generous kindness which made you come and warn us of this
impending calamity; but you need not fear that we shall fail to meet
it with a complete answer."

"Father! Major Lane! What do you mean?" For the first time a feeling
of misgiving swept over Theodore Carden's mind. Without waiting for an
answer, he led the way back to the fireplace and, deliberately drawing
forward a chair, motioned to Major Lane to sit down likewise.

"Now then," he said, speaking with considerable authority and
decision, "I think I have a right to ask what this is all about. In
what way are we, my father and myself, concerned in the Garvice
affair? For my part, Major Lane, I can assure you, and that, if you
wish it, on oath, that I did not know Mr. Garvice, and, to the best of
my belief, I have never seen, still less spoken to, Mrs. Garvice---