inton died?" he asked.

"We were," Phipps replied, after a moment's hesitation.

"We believed that it was a faint," Rees observed. "Even now it seems
impossible to believe that he is dead."

"Dead!--My God!" Phipps repeated, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

"Nothing else transpired during the evening," the inspector continued,
"likely to have proved a shock to his lordship?"

"Nothing," Phipps declared hoarsely. "We must have been playing for a
great many hours."

"I am a strong man," Rees added, "and the youngest of the party, but I
too--feel faint."

"It seems a little strange, Mr. Wingate," Shields remarked, turning
towards him, "that you yourself show not the slightest signs of fatigue."

Wingate smiled grimly.

"I neither drink nor smoke to excess," he explained, "and as a rule I
keep regular hours. Perhaps that is why, if I choose to sit up all night,
I am able to stand it."

There was a knock at the door and Grant presented himself. To all
appearance he was, as ever, the perfect butler. It was only Wingate who
saw that quick, questioning look, the hovering of his hand about his
pocket; who knew that, if necessary, there was no risk which this man
would not run.

"The doctor has arrived, sir," he announced.

"You had better show him in," Wingate replied. "And, Grant."

"Yes, sir?"

"It would be as well, I think, to let her ladyship be informed that Lord
Dredlinton is ill--very ill."

The man bowed and stood on one side as the doctor entered. The latter
paused for a moment in astonishment as he looked upon the scene. Then he
moved towards one of the windows and threw it up.

"If Lord Dredlinton has been sitting for long in an atmosphere like
this," he observed drily, "it's enough to have killed him."

He glanced around with an air of distaste at Phipps and Rees, at the
debris of the presumed debauch, and stooped over the body stretched
upon the sofa. His examination lasted barely a minute. Then he rose
to his feet.

"Lord Dredlinton is dead," he announced in a shocked tone.

"I feared so," Wingate murmured.

"Will you call in some servants?" the doctor went on. "I should like the
body carried into his lordship's bedroom at once."

Grant appeared, quickly followed by two of his subordinates. The
melancholy little procession left the room, and Shields turned to
follow it. As he reached the door, he hesitated and glanced around
towards Wingate.

"Mr. Wingate," he said, "I wish to hear