about the cut bell-rope, because, you see, it is hardly likely that
anybody could get into the room and cut that without disturbing the old
lady, and, as she didn't cry out, I came to the conclusion that that
somebody must certainly be some one she knew and trusted, and whose
presence in the room would not be unusual. That at once suggested Mrs.
Glossop, and the possibility of the lady saying that she had heard a
noise, and had come up and found the door unlocked. The captain, who
would make his entrance unheard while they were talking, would cut the
rope, throw the noose round the victim's neck while she was off guard,
and the rest would follow easily.

"But I could find no motive and could get no actual clue until I looked
at the lady's rings. Clearly the putting of them on was an attempt to
accentuate the presumed fact of their great wealth by exhibiting open
evidence of how richly the lady was dowered with jewels and how little
she need covet those of others. I got upon the trail of the true state
of affairs when I examined those rings and found that they were simply
paste, close imitations of the splendid originals which she had no doubt
long since been obliged either to pawn or sell.

"As for the hiding-place of the Siva stones, the fact of the utterly
unnecessary wounds in the arms--unnecessary as helping the assassin to
kill her, I mean--gave me the first hint of that. Afterward, when I saw
the body, and noticed the position of those wounds, I was sure of it.
That is where Glossop bungled. They could not have come about in any
struggle or any possible effort of the deceased to protect herself by
throwing up her arms, for they were in the wrong position, for one
thing, and they were deep, clean-cut punctures, for another, and---- My
corner at last! The riddle is solved, Mr. Narkom. Good-night."

CHAPTER XI

THE DIVIDED HOUSE

"Superintendent Narkom waitin' upstairs in your room, sir. Come
unexpected and sudden like about five minutes ago," said Dollops, as the
key was withdrawn from the lock and Cleek stepped into the house. "Told
him you'd jist run round the corner, sir, to get a fresh supply of them
cigarettes you're so partial to, so he sat down and waited. And, oh, I
say, guv'ner?"

"Yes?" said Cleek inquiringly, stopping in his two-steps-at-a-time
ascent of the stairs.

"Letter come for you, too, sir, whilst you was out. Envellup wrote in a
lady's hand, and directed to 'Captain Burbage.' Too