red anxiously at his companion.

"How do you mean?" he asked. "It was only by a fluke that he made it in
time."

"That isn't what I mean. It is the fact that he knew that every second
was vital, that he guessed I was keen on a quick marriage and that to
forestall me he carried his (as he thought) pseudo-clergyman with him so
that he need not lose a minute: these are the disturbing factors."

"I don't see it," said Milsom, "the fellow's a crook, all these Yankee
detectives are grafters. He saw a chance of a big rake off and took it,
fifty-fifty of a million fortune is fine commission!"

"You're wrong. I'd like to think as you do. Man! Can't you see that his
every action proves that he knows all about the Green Rust?"

"Eh?"

Milsom sat up.

"How--what makes you say that?"

"It's clear enough. He has already some idea of the scheme. He has been
pumping old Heyler; he even secured a sample of the stuff--it was a
faulty cultivation, but it might have been enough for him. He surmised
that I had a special use for old Millinborn's money and why I was in a
hurry to get it."

The silence which followed lasted several minutes.

"Does anybody except Beale know? If you settled him...?"

"We should have to finish him to-night" said van Heerden, "that is what
I have been thinking about all day."

Another silence.

"Well, why not?" asked Milsom, "it is all one to me. The stake is worth
a little extra risk."

"It must be done before he finds the Paddington place; that is the
danger which haunts me." Van Heerden was uneasy, and he had lost the
note of calm assurance which ordinarily characterized his speech. "There
is sufficient evidence there to spoil everything."

"There is that," breathed Milsom, "it was madness to go on. You have all
the stuff you want, you could have closed down the factory a week ago."

"I must have a margin of safety--besides, how could I do anything else?
I was nearly broke and any sign of closing down would have brought my
hungry workers to Krooman Mansions."

"That's true," agreed the other, "I've had to stall 'em off, but I
didn't know that it was because you were broke. It seemed to me just a
natural reluctance to part with good money."

Further conversation was arrested by the sudden stoppage of the car. Van
Heerden peered through the window ahead and caught a glimpse of a red
lamp.

"It is all right," he said, "this must be Putney Common, and I told
Gregory to meet me with any news