of my
father as living for years within a few miles of you."

Lord Arranmore nodded his head thoughtfully.

"Ah! And you found the two statements, of course, irreconcilable.
Well, go on!"

Brooks found it difficult. He was grasping a paperweight tightly in one
hand, and he felt the rising colour burn his cheeks.

"I wrote to Mr. Lacroix," he said.

"A perfectly natural thing to do," Lord Arranmore remarked, smoothly.

And his answer is here!

"Suppose you read it to me," Lord Arranmore suggested.

Brooks took up the letter and read it.

"TRAVELLERS' CLUB, December 10.

"DEAR SIR,

"Replying to your recent letter, I have not the slightest hesitation in
reaffirming the statement to which you refer. I am perfectly convinced
that at the time of my visit to Lord Arranmore on the bank of Lake Quo,
there was no Englishman or dwelling-place of any sort within a radius of
fifty miles. The information which you have received is palpably
erroneous.

"Why not refer to Lord Arranmore himself? He would certainly confirm
what I say, and finally dispose of the matter.

"Yours sincerely,

"VICTOR LACROIX."

"A very interesting letter," Lord Arranmore remarked. "Well?"

Brooks crumpled the letter up and flung it into the waste-paper basket.

"Lord Arranmore," he said, "I made this inquiry behind your back, and in
a sense I am ashamed of having done so. Yet I beg you to put yourself
in my position. You must admit that my father's disappearance from the
world was a little extraordinary. He was a man whose life was more than
exemplary--it was saintly. For year after year he worked in the
police-courts amongst the criminal classes. His whole life was one long
record of splendid devotion. His health at last breaks down, and he is
sent by his friends for a voyage to Australia. He never returns. Years
afterwards his papers and particulars of his death are sent home from
one of the loneliest spots in the Empire. A few weeks ago you found me
out and told me of his last days. You see what I must believe. That he
wilfully deserted his wife and son--myself. That he went into lonely
and inexplicable solitude for no apparent or possible reason. That he
misused the money subscribed by his friends in order that he might take
this trip to Australia. Was ever anything more irreconcilable?"

"From your point of view--perhaps not," Lord Arranmore answered. "You
must enlarge it."

"Will you tell me how?" Brooks demanded.

Lord Arra