strong with the finger and thumb to
make it revolve. And the cartridges are very small; only seven
millimetres--about a quarter of an inch. I've had the old thing for
years, but I never regarded it as a real fire-arm. I'd never have let
the girls use it in the gun-room if I'd thought it was a dangerous
weapon. Perhaps there is some mistake."

"There is no mistake," replied Merrington. "Mrs. Heredith was killed
with that revolver, and no other. We were unable to establish the
identity of the weapon until a day or two ago, and that is one of my
reasons for calling on you to-day--to make quite sure of the identity
and see if you could tell me where you left it."

"I have no doubt now that I must have left it behind me at the
moat-house," responded Nepcote. "I was recalled to France and went away
in a hurry. God forgive me for my carelessness. To think that it
resulted in this terrible murder!" His face had gone suddenly white.

"Did you return to France that night?" asked Merrington carelessly.

"As a matter of fact, I did not. When I returned to London from Sussex I
found another telegram here from the War Office extending my leave until
the following day. I returned to France the next afternoon."

"Thank you, Captain Nepcote." Merrington, as he rose to go, held out his
hand. It was evident that the statement about the telegram had cleared
his mind of any suspicions he may have felt about the young man. As
Nepcote shook hands he added: "You had better hold yourself in readiness
to attend the police court inquiry, which will be held a week from
to-day. I will send you a proper notification of time and place. All we
need from you is the formal identification of the revolver."

"Is it essential that I should attend?" asked the young man anxiously.
"I'd rather not be mixed up in the case at all, you know. Besides, I may
have to return to France."

"Perhaps we shall be able to dispense with your evidence now that we
have the facts," replied Merrington, after a moment's consideration. "I
will see what can be done, and let you know. You had better give me your
address in France, in case you have left England. It is necessary for me
to know that, because the case has to some extent taken a new turn by
the discovery that robbery as well as murder has been committed. A
valuable necklace belonging to the murdered woman is missing."

Captain Nepcote had taken out his pocket-book while Merrington was
speaking, in order to extr