nsel, Arnold Chetwode."

"Might I ask," Arnold said, "if you knew this man--if you had ever
come into contact with him or seen him before?"

"Certainly not," Mr. Weatherley replied. "What business could I
possibly have with a person of that description? He seems to have
been, if not an habitual criminal himself, at least an associate of
criminals, and he was without doubt a foreigner. Between you and
me, Chetwode, I haven't the least doubt that the fellow was one of a
gang of the worst class of burglars. Wherever he got that blow from,
it was probably no more than he deserved."

"But, Mr. Weatherley," Arnold protested, "don't you think that you
ought to have an investigation among your household?"

"My dear young fellow," Mr. Weatherley answered, testily, "I keep no
men-servants at all except old Groves, who's as meek-spirited as a
baby, and a footman whom my wife has just engaged, and who was out
for the evening. A blow such as the paper describes was certainly
never struck by a woman, and there was just as certainly no other
man in my house. There is nothing to inquire about. As a matter of
fact, I am not curious. The man is dead and there's an end of it."

"You will bear in mind, sir," Arnold said, "that if it comes to
light afterwards, as it very probably may, that the man was first
discovered in Mrs. Weatherley's boudoir, the scandal and gossip will
be a great deal worse than if you came forward and told the whole
truth now."

"I take my risk of that," Mr. Weatherley replied, coolly. "There
isn't a soul except Groves who saw him, and Groves is my man. Now be
so good as to get on with those letters, Chetwode, and consider the
incident closed."

Arnold withdrew to his typewriter and commenced his task. The day
had commenced with a new surprise to him. The nervous, shattered Mr.
Weatherley of yesterday was gone. After a happening in his house
which might well have had a serious effect upon him, he seemed not
only unmoved but absolutely restored to cheerfulness. He was reading
the paper for himself now, and the room was rapidly becoming full of
tobacco smoke. Arnold spelled out his letters one by one until the
last was finished. Then he took them over to his employer to sign.
One by one Mr. Weatherley read them through, made an alteration here
and there, then signed them with his large, sprawling hand. Just as
he had finished the last, the telephone by his side rang. He took
the receiver and placed it to his e