se your first step will be
to confront Brander with the proofs of his guilt. I suppose you would
wish me to go down with you. I shall be able to do so without
difficulty, for I took no holiday last year and can, therefore, get two
or three days whenever I choose to ask for them."

"Thank you, Mr. Harford. It will certainly be desirable that I should be
backed up by your presence. The first thing I shall do will be to go
down to Abchester to see Dr. Edwardes. I want to ascertain from him when
he first knew of my father having heart-disease. That he did know it
before his death I am aware, though, at my father's particular request,
he abstained from informing me of the fact. He may also know when
Brander first became acquainted with it. It will strengthen my case much
if I am in a position to show that it was after he had the knowledge
that my father's death might take place at any moment, that he committed
these frauds. As soon as I find this out, which will probably be in a
few hours after my arrival there, I will send you a telegram. I am
anxious to lose no time, because I do not want Brander to know of my
arrival in Abchester until I confront him. If I could find out what he
did with the L15,000 he proved to the liquidator that he had drawn out
on the day this mortgage was said to have been executed, I should have
the chain of evidence complete, but I don't see how that is to be got
at."

"It might be got at by advertisements, Mr. Hartington; L15,000 is a
large sum, and were you to advertise a reward of L100 for information as
to whom Mr. Brander paid the sum of L15,000 on the date named in the
mortgage, it is quite probable you might obtain the information."

"I might get it that way, but unless it is absolutely necessary I would
rather not do so. Were I to advertise before I see him, he might have
his attention drawn to it, and it would put him on his guard. I can but
resort to it afterwards if he refuses to come to terms."

Accordingly, the next day Cuthbert went down to Abchester, travelling by
a train that arrived there after dark, and taking a fly, drove to Dr.
Edwardes'.

The servant took in his name and the doctor at once hurried out into the
hall.

"Why, my dear Cuthbert, I am glad indeed to see you, though from your
letter I had hardly hoped to do so for some little time. Come in, come
in; my wife will be delighted to see you. Dinner is just on the table,
so you have arrived at precisely the right mom