him.

He left immediately for town, and picked up Ela at luncheon at the Fritz
Hotel, where the detective had his headquarters.

"The whole thing is perfectly clear, now," he said. "The inexplicable
disappearance of Mr. Farrington is explained in poster type, 'that he
who runs may read.'"

"I am a little hazy about the solution myself," said Ela dubiously.

"Then I will put it in plain language for you," said T. B. as he speared
a sardine from the _hors d'oeuvre_ dish. "Farrington knew all along
that the heir to the Tollington millions was George Doughton. He knew it
years and years ago, and it was for that reason he settled at Great
Bradley, where the Doughtons had their home. Evidently the two older
Doughtons were dead at this time, and only George Doughton, the romantic
and altogether unpractical explorer, represented the family.

"George was in love with the lady who is now known as Lady Constance
Dex, and knowing this, Farrington evidently took every step that was
possible to ingratiate himself into her good graces. He knew that the
fortune would descend equally to Doughton and to his wife. Doughton was
a widower and had a son, a youngster at the time, and it is very
possible that, the boy being at school, and being very rarely in Great
Bradley, Farrington had no idea of his existence.

"The knowledge that this boy was alive must have changed all his plans;
at any rate, the engagement was allowed to drift on, whilst he matured
some scheme whereby he could obtain a large portion of the Tollington
millions for his own use. Again I think his plans must have been
changed.

"It was whilst he was at Great Bradley that he was entrusted with the
guardianship of Doris Gray, and as his affection for the young girl
grew--an affection which I think was one of the few wholesome things in
his life--he must have seen the extraordinary chance which fate had
placed in his way.

"With diabolical ingenuity and with a remorselessness which is
reminiscent of the Borgias he planned first George Doughton's death,
and then the bringing together of Doughton's son and his own ward. There
is every proof of this to be found in his subsequent actions. He was
prepared to introduce the young people to one another, and by affording
them opportunities for meeting, and such encouragement as he could give,
to bring about the result he so desired.

"But things did not move fast enough for him, and then he must have
learnt, as the other tr