erned."

"No. You have denied everything, and now you try to treat me as one
demented!" I declared in a fury. "The existence of the bank notes you
gave me are sufficient evidence against you."

"I think not. First, I doubt if they exist anywhere save in your
imagination; secondly, if they do, then someone else may have given
them to you."

"You did. I would recognize you among ten thousand men. On the night
in question you wore a dinner jacket, and now you are in grey. That is
all the difference."

"Well, have it your own way," he replied smiling, though I could see
that he had become palpably perturbed by my allegations. Whatever had
been administered to me--some dope or other, no doubt--it had been
intended that I should be cast adrift on the Continent as a
semi-imbecile.

It was that fact which maddened me. The poor girl might not have been
his niece, of course, but whoever she had been, this man had had some
very strange and distinct motive in getting rid of her.

What it was I had vowed to discover.

It was apparent that De Gex was anxious to get rid of me. Indeed, as
we stood together in that fine old room, across the marble floor of
which strayed long beams of sunlight, the door opened and a pretty
woman came in. She was dressed to go out, and asked:

"Will you be long, dear?"

It was the beautiful Mrs. De Gex! In an instant I recognized her by
the many photographs I had seen in the picture papers.

"No. I'll be with you in a minute, dear. Is the car there?" he asked.

"It's been there a quarter of an hour, and if we don't go now we shall
be late in meeting Hylda at the station," she said, glancing at me
with undisguised annoyance.

Then she left, closing the door after her.

Across my brain ran strange thoughts. I recollected his words in
Stretton Street regarding his spiteful wife when I had been called in
to listen to his matrimonial troubles. But husband and wife now
appeared to be on quite amicable and even affectionate terms.

I confess that I was still bewildered, as you, my reader, in whom I am
here reposing confidence, would, I believe, have been, had you found
yourself in similar circumstances.

"I see that your wife is eager to go out," I said. "But I fear I
must, before I go, press for a direct answer to my questions, Mr. De
Gex."

"My dear sir, I have answered them. What more can I say?" he exclaimed
with affected dismay.

"A very great deal. You can tell me the truth."

"I h