w took place in the afternoon, and was some two hours after
Frank had interviewed the girl; Saul Arthur Mann had gone to Eastbourne
to bring her back. Jasper had arranged to spend the night in town, and
had booked two stalls at the Hippodrome. She had told Saul Arthur Mann
this, in accordance with her promise to keep him informed as to her
movements, and she was, therefore, surprised when, half an hour later,
the little investigator presented himself.

She met him in the presence of her fiance, and it was clear to Jasper
what Saul Arthur Mann's intentions were.

"I don't want to make myself a nuisance," he said, "but before we go
any further, Miss Nuttall, there are certain matters on which you ought
to be informed. I have every reason to believe that I know who was
responsible for the outrage of last night, and I do not intend risking a
repetition."

"Who do you think was responsible?" asked the girl quietly.

"I honestly believe that the author is in this room," was the startling
response.

"You mean me?" asked Jasper Cole angrily.

"I mean you, Mr. Cole. I believe that you are the man who planned the
coup and that you are its sole author," said the other.

The girl stared at him in astonishment.

"You surely do not mean what you say."

"I mean that Mr. Cole has every reason for wishing to marry you," he
said. "What that reason is I do not know completely, but I shall
discover. I am satisfied," he went on slowly, "that Mr. Cole is already
married."

She looked from one to the other.

"Already married?" repeated Jasper.

"If he is not already married," said Saul Arthur Mann bluntly, "then I
have been indiscreet. The only thing I can tell you is that your fiance
has been traveling on the Continent with a lady who describes herself as
Mrs. Cole."

Jasper said nothing for a moment, but looked at the other oddly and
thoughtfully.

"I understand, Mr. Mann," he said at length, "that you collect facts as
other people collect postage stamps?"

Saul Arthur Mann bristled.

"You may carry this off, sir," he began, "if you can--"

"Let me speak," said Jasper Cole, raising his voice. "I want to ask you
this: Have you a complete record of John Minute's life?"

"I know it so well," said Saul Arthur Mann emphatically, "that I could
repeat his history word for word."

"Will you sit down, May?" said Jasper, taking the girl's hand in his and
gently forcing her to a chair. "We are going to put Mr. Mann's memory
t