hearthrug,
his sallow face pale and drawn. "Your presence here is most opportune.
You must render me assistance in this unfortunate affair, Mr.
Garfield. I feel that I can trust you, and I--well, I hope you can
trust me in return. Will you consent to help me?"

"In what way?" I asked.

"I'm in a hole--a desperate hole," he said very anxiously. "Poor
Gabrielle has died, but if it gets out that her death is sudden, then
there must be a coroner's inquiry with all its publicity--photographs
in the picture-papers, and, perhaps, all sorts of mud cast at me. I
want to avoid all this--and you alone can help me!"

"How?" I inquired, much perturbed by the tragic occurrence.

"By giving a death certificate."

"But I'm not a doctor!"

"You can pass as one," he said, looking very straight at me. "Besides,
it is so easy for you to write out a certificate and sign it, with a
change of your Christian name. There is a Gordon Garfield in the
'Medical List.' Won't you do it for me, and help me out of a very
great difficulty? Do! I implore you," he urged.

"But--I--I----"

"Please do not hesitate. You have only to give the certificate. Here
is pen and paper. And here is a blank form. My niece died of heart
disease, for which you have attended her several times during the past
six months."

"I certainly have not!"

"No," he replied, grinning. "I am aware of that. But surely five
thousand pounds is easily earned by writing out a certificate. I'll
write it--you only just copy it," and he bent and scribbled some words
upon a slip of paper.

Five thousand pounds! It was a tempting offer in face of the fact that
I had just lost practically a similar sum.

"But how do I know that Miss----"

"Miss Engledue," he said.

"Well, how do I know that Miss Engledue has not--well, has not met
with foul play?" I asked.

"You don't, my dear sir. That I admit. Yet you surely do not suspect
me of murdering my niece--the girl I have brought up as my own
daughter," and he laughed grimly. "Five thousand pounds is a decent
sum," he added. "And in this case you can very easily earn it."

"By posing as a medical man," I remarked. "A very serious offence!"

Again my host smiled, and shrugged his shoulders.

"Well," he said, after a pause. "Here is the certificate for you to
copy. Reject my offer if you like; but I think you must agree that it
is a most generous one. To me, money is but little object. My only
concern is the annoying publicity