erring to John Minute's death, and changed the
conversation.

A few minutes later he had an opportunity of speaking with Mr. Mann.

"What is the news?" he asked.

Saul Arthur Mann looked round.

"I think we are getting near the truth," he said, dropping his voice.
"One of my men has had him under observation ever since the day of the
trial. There is no doubt that he is really a brilliant chemist."

"Have you a theory?"

"I have several," said Mr. Mann. "I am perfectly satisfied that the
unfortunate fellow we saw together on the occasion of our first meeting
was Rex Holland's servant. I was as certain that he was poisoned by a
very powerful poisoning. When your trial was on the body was exhumed and
examined, and the presence of that drug was discovered. It was the same
as that employed in the case of the chauffeur. Obviously, Rex Holland is
a clever chemist. I wanted to see you about that. He said at the trial
that he had discussed such matters with you."

Frank nodded.

"We used to have quite long talks about drugs," he said. "I have
recalled many of those conversations since the day of the trial. He
even fired me with his enthusiasm, and I used to assist him in his
little experiments, and obtained quite a working knowledge of these
particular elements. Unfortunately I cannot remember very much, for my
enthusiasm soon died, and beyond the fact that he employed hyocine and
Indian hemp I have only the dimmest recollection of any of the
constituents he employed."

Saul Arthur nodded energetically.

"I shall have more to tell you later, perhaps," he said, "but at present
my inquiries are shaping quite nicely. He is going to be a difficult man
to catch, because, if all I believe is true, he is one of the most
cold-blooded and calculating men it has ever been my lot to meet--and I
have met a few," he added grimly.

When he said men Frank knew that he had meant criminals.

"We are probably doing him a horrible injustice," he smiled. "Poor old
Jasper!"

"You are not cut out for police work," snapped Saul Arthur Mann;
"you've too many sympathies."

"I don't exactly sympathize," rejoined Frank, "but I just pity him in a
way."

Again Mr. Mann looked round cautiously and again lowered his voice,
which had risen.

"There is one thing I want to talk to you about. It is rather a delicate
matter, Mr. Merrill," he said.

"Fire ahead!"

"It is about Miss Nuttall. She has seen a lot of our friend Jasper, and
afte