h my father it is sheer curiosity. Indeed, if he thought that
you were keeping Mountjoy under lock and key, he would only admire your
dexterity in so preserving him. Any bold line of action that was
contrary to the law recommends itself to his approbation. But Prodgers
has a lurking idea that he should like to arrest you."

"What for?"

"Simply because he thinks you know something that he doesn't know. As
he's a detective, that, in his mind, is quite enough for arresting any
man. I may as well give him my assurance, then, that he is mistaken."

"Why should your assurance go for more than mine? Give him nothing of
the kind."

"I may give him, at any rate, my assurance that I believe your word."

"If you do believe it, you can do so."

"But you repeat your assertion that you saw nothing of Mountjoy just
before his disappearance?"

"This is an amount of cross-questioning which I do not take in good
part, and to which I will not submit." Here Scarborough affected to
laugh loudly. "I know nothing of your brother, and care almost as
little. He has professed to admire a young lady to whom I am not
indifferent, and has, I believe, expressed a wish to make her his wife.
He is also her cousin, and the lady in question has, no doubt, been much
interested about him. It is natural that she should be so."

"Quite natural--seeing that she has been engaged to him for twelve
months."

"Of that I know nothing. But my interest about your brother has been
because of her. You can explain all this about your brother if you
please, or can let it alone. But for myself, I decline to answer any
more questions. If Prodgers thinks that he can arrest me, let him come
and try."

"The idea of your flying into a passion because I have endeavored to
explain it all to you! At any rate I have your absolute denial, and that
will enable me to deal both with my father and Prodgers." To this Harry
made no answer, and the two young men walked back to Tretton together
without many more words between them.

When Harry had been in the house about half an hour, and had already
eaten his lunch, somewhat sulkily, a message came to him from Miss
Scarborough requiring his presence. He went to her, and was told by her
that Mr. Scarborough would now see him. He was aware that Mr.
Scarborough never saw Septimus Jones, and that there was something
peculiar in the sending of this message to him. Why should the man who
was supposed to have but a few weeks to