general details.

Frazer was naturally keen to discover how the barrister came to be so well
posted in his movements, and David listened eagerly whilst Brett related
enough of the stationmaster's story to clear up that point.

Hume broke in with a laugh:

"That shows why he was so unusually attentive when I arrived this evening.
He spotted me getting out of the train, and would not leave me until I was
clear of the station. He was evidently determined to ascertain my exact
identity without any mistake, for he began by asking if I were not Mr.
David Hume-Frazer, laying stress on my Christian name. It surprised me a
little, because I thought the old chap knew me well."

"Are you both absolutely certain that there are no other members of your
family in existence?" asked Brett.

"It depends on how many of our precious collection you are acquainted
with," said Robert.

"The only person Mr. Brett is not acquainted with is my father," exclaimed
David stiffly.

"I was not alluding to him, of course. Indeed, I had no individual
specially in my mind."

"Surely you had some motive for your remark?" questioned David. "The only
remaining relative is Mrs. Capella."

"There again--how do you define the word 'relative.' I suppose, Mr. Brett,
you are fairly well posted in the history of our house?"

"Yes."

"Well, has it never struck you that there was something queer about the
manner of my Uncle Alan's marriage--Margaret's father, I mean?"

"Perhaps. What do you know about it?"

"Nothing definite. When I was a mid-shipman on board the _Northumberland_
I have a lively recollection of a fiendish row between a man named Somers
and another officer who passed some chaffing remark about my respected
uncle's goings on in Italy. The officer in question had forgotten, or
never knew, that Sir Alan married Somers's sister--they were Bristol
people, I think--but he stuck to it that Sir Alan had an Italian wife. He
had seen her."

Brett was driving, Frazer sitting by his side, and David leaning over the
rail from the back seat. Had a bombshell dropped in their midst the two
others could not have been more startled than by Robert's chance
observation.

"Good Heavens!" cried Hume, "why has Capella gone to Italy?"

"That question may soon be answered," said Brett.

"Was that one of the other reasons you hinted at in the library when
telling us why you did not volunteer evidence at the trial?" he asked
Robert.

"It was. The ca