ked him for his efforts, she had made no inquiry about the result of
them. It might be that she dreaded to hear that they were on the way to
be successful.

He observed that James Hutchings, who watched over his actual
departure, seemed less pale and haggard than he had been the night
before. He could well believe that he was glad to see him going without
having had him arrested.

As he drove through the park he told himself that Lady Loudwater and Mr.
Manley between them would probably break down any case the police might
bring against any one but the mysterious woman, and they might break down
that. For his part, he was not going to give much time or attention to it
till the mysterious woman had been discovered, and he did not think that
he would be urged by Headquarters to do so after he had sent in his
report, for, mindful of what he had told them of the unsatisfactory
nature of Dr. Thornhill's evidence, Mr. Gregg in the _Daily Wire_ and
Mr. Douglas on the _Daily Planet_ were dealing with the case in a
half-hearted manner, though they were still clamouring with some vivacity
for the mysterious woman.

As Mr. Flexen came out of the park gates he met William Roper on the edge
of the West wood, stopped the car, and walked a few yards down the road
to talk to him out of hearing of the chauffeur.

"I gather that you haven't told any one of what you saw on the night of
Lord Loudwater's death; or I should have heard of it," he said.

"Not a word, I haven't," said William Roper.

"That's good," said Mr. Flexen in a tone of warm approval. "It might
spoil everything to put people on their guard."

He was more strongly than ever resolved to prevent, if he could, the
gamekeeper from setting afoot a scandal about Lady Loudwater which could
be of no service to the police or any one else.

"Everybody says as James Hutchings did it, sir," said William Roper.

"H'm! And what do they say about the mysterious lady the papers are
talking about--the lady you saw?"

"Oh, they don't pay no 'eed to 'er--not about 'ere, sir. They know Jim
Hutchings," said William Roper contemptuously.

"I see," said Mr. Flexen.

"'Er ladyship and Colonel Grey, they still spends a lot of their time in
the East wood pavilion. But now 'er ladyship's a widder, it's nobody's
business but their own, I reckon," said William Roper.

"Of course not, of course not," said Mr. Flexen quickly, pleased to find
that the ferret-faced gamekeeper attached so l