saw him walk about the
library for nearly an hour. I meant to enter the house if an opportunity
presented itself, and, trusting to my appearance, go to his bedroom, if he
changed his clothes and went out. But he helped me by placing the papers
in the drawer which I afterwards broke open. I saw him meet you"--he
feebly pointed to Robert. "I saw you arrive in the carriage," and he
indicated David. "Then I determined to wait until the night I went back to
Stowmarket, where I left a portmanteau at a small hotel"--Brett knew that
Winter stole a look at him, but he ignored the fact--"and changed my
clothes. In England, at night, a man in evening dress can enter almost any
house. When I returned I carried my bag with me, as I did not know how I
might wish to get away subsequently. I saw the preparations for the ball.
They helped me. David Hume's unexpected appearance at midnight upset my
plans. Waiting near the gate, I witnessed Alan's meeting with a girl in a
white dress. Whilst they were talking, I ran up to the house and found
David asleep in the library. I resolved to act boldly. Even he would not
know what to do if he suddenly discovered another Frazer in the room. To
force open the drawer I picked up the Japanese sword, and knew it as
belonging to my house by the device on the handle of the Ko-Katana. The
thing inspired me. I obtained the papers, and was going out when I met
Alan. He had seen what I was doing. He called me a cur, and the memory of
my ancestor's vengeance rushed on me, so I struck him with the knife, and
left it resting in his heart as he fell. Afterwards it was easy. No one
knew me. Those who had seen me thought that I was either David or Robert
Hume-Frazer. I depended on the police and the servants to complete the
mystery. They did. I saw David meet the same girl in a white dress near
the lodge, so I sent the post-card which I made Jiro write for me. He
wrote it badly, which was all the better for my purpose. I meant David to
be hanged by the law; then I would marry Margaret. That is all. Give me
some brandy. I am dreaming now. I can see curling shapes. Ah!"

He gulped down half a tumblerful of raw spirits hastily procured by Brett.
Again he attempted to shake off the torpid state that was slowly mastering
him. He lifted his eyes feebly to Brett's face, and his face contorted in
a ghastly smile.

"You!" he croaked. "I should have killed you! You carried my stick that
night in Middle Street. Why was I n