tely; and as her husband's family would have none of her at
any price, she simply made enemies for herself on both sides. It was
perhaps just as well for all concerned that there were no children."

"And at the duke's death some ten or a dozen years ago, the title
passed, I believe, to his younger brother, who in his turn died about
eighteen months ago and passed it on to a cousin, a young fellow of
about two-and-twenty, who had recently married a girl as little blest
with this world's goods as was he himself."

"Yes," replied Narkom. "And as his grandmother was one of the ladies who
had been bitterest in cutting the ex-Miss Simkins, the old girl never
let any of her sympathies or her sovereigns go his way. Of course he
tried to make up to her, talked about 'upholding the dignity of the
name,' and all that, but it was no go; old money-bags wouldn't part with
a stiver. So the interview wound up with some pretty plain speaking on
both sides, and the young duke flung himself out of the house in a
towering passion and with no good will toward her, which was a bad thing
all round, and particularly bad for him."

"Why?"

"Because that happened only the day before yesterday. Last night the old
duchess was murdered, and, so far as can be ascertained with certainty,
he was the last person with her and the last to see her alive."

"Hum-m-m!" said Cleek, pulling down his lower lip and frowning at his
toes. "Not nice that, for the duke, I must admit."

"Not at all nice," agreed Narkom. "As a matter of fact, I should not be
at all surprised if a warrant for his arrest were issued before morning.
Still, of course, there is the Hindu to be taken into consideration. As
you yourself said, those beggars have always been after the stones."

"Oho! So there's a Hindu in the affair, is there?"

"Yes. Been hanging about the place for weeks and weeks, trying to make
friends with the servants. Peddles embroidered table covers, silk
scarves, crepe shawls, lucky charms, and things of that sort. Hasn't
missed coming, the housekeeper tells me, one solitary day for the past
month until the present one. Of course, he may turn up before night,
although it's hours and hours past his regular time for calling; but, at
the same time, it must be admitted that it has a queer look.

"Then, too, there's a third party, or, indeed, I might as well say a
third and a fourth, for they are brother and sister, a Miss Lucretia
Spender and her brother Tom. Th