can't be too
careful in money matters, and if I may say so, bank pay being none too
high, the temptation must sometimes be rather great. I've a couple of
nephews in the bank myself--"

Cleek's eyes suddenly silenced him as though there had been a spoken
word.

"This Wilson, Mr. Brent," Cleek asked quietly, "is he a young man?"

"Oh--quite young. Not more than four or five and twenty, I should say.
Came from London with an excellent reference, and so far has given every
satisfaction. Universal favourite with the firm, and also with old
Simmons himself. I believe the two used sometimes to lunch together, and
were firm friends. It seems almost a coincidence that the old man should
have died in the boy's arms."

"He made no statement, I suppose, before he died, to give an idea of the
assassin? But of course you wouldn't know that, as you weren't there."

"As it happens I do, Mr. Headland. Young Wilson, who is frightfully
upset--in fact the shock of the thing has completely shattered his
nerves, never very strong at the best of times--says that the old man
just writhed and writhed, and muttered something about a rope. Then he
fell back dead."

"A rope?" said Cleek in surprise. "Was he tied or bound then?"

"That's just it. There was no sign of anything whatever to do with a
rope about him. It was possibly a death delusion, or something of the
sort. Perhaps the poor old chap was semi-conscious."

"Undoubtedly. And now just one more question, Mr. Brent, before I tire
your patience out. We policemen, you know, are terrible nuisances. What
time was it when young Wilson discovered the door of the bank
unlatched?"

"About half-past nine. I had just noticed my clock striking the half
hour, when I was disturbed by the inspector--"

"And wasn't it a bit unusual for a clerk to come back to the bank at
that hour--unless he was working overtime?"

Mr. Naylor-Brent's fine head went back with a gesture which conveyed to
Cleek the knowledge that he was not in a habit of working any of his
employees beyond the given hours.

"He was doing nothing of the sort, Mr. Headland," he responded, a trifle
brusquely. "Our firm is particularly keen about the question of working
hours. Wilson tells me he came back for his watch which he left behind
him, and--"

"And the door was conveniently unlatched and ready, so he simply fetched
in the inspector, and took him straight down into the vaults. Didn't get
his watch, I suppose?"

Mr. Na