. Mr. Manley talked during dinner
with elegance and vivacity. The maid brought in the coffee and went back
to the kitchen.

As he lighted his wife's cigarette, Mr. Manley said in a careless tone:
"What did Flexen want to see you about?"

Helena gave him a full account of her interview with Mr. Flexen, his
questions and her answers.

"I guessed that you were the _Daily Wire's_ mysterious woman," he said.
"I saw how frightened you were when it came out. But, of course, as you
didn't say anything about it, I didn't."

"That is so like you," she murmured.

"One human being should never intrude on another," said Mr. Manley with a
noble air.

"It might be your motto," she said, looking at him with admiring eyes.
She paused; then she added: "And I was frightened--horribly frightened. I
couldn't sleep. I was going to tell you about it, but I didn't like to.
You gave me no opening. Then the letter came from my bankers--about the
twelve thousand pounds--and it made it all right. It made it clear that I
had no reason to murder Loudwater."

"Of course," said Mr. Manley. "But in the event of any new
developments, I should not admit that Lord Loudwater talked of halving
your allowance, or that you quarrelled with him. In fact, I shouldn't
let Flexen interview you again at all. In an affair of this kind you
can't be too careful."

"I won't let him interview me again," said Helena with decision.

Mr. Flexen did not try to interview her again. But at eleven the next
morning he called on Mr. Manley. He had very little hope of effecting
anything by the call, though he meant to try. But he had the keenest
desire to scrutinize him again and carefully in the light of the new
facts he had discovered.

Mr. Manley kept him waiting awhile in the drawing-room; then the maid
ushered him into Mr. Manley's study. Mr. Manley was sitting at a
table, at work on his play. He greeted Mr. Flexen with a rather
absent-minded air.

Mr. Flexen surveyed him with very intent, measuring eyes. At once he
perceived that he had rather missed Mr. Manley's jaw in giving attention
to his admirable forehead. It was, indeed, the jaw of a brute. He could
see him drive the knife into Lord Loudwater, and walk out of the
smoking-room with an ugly, contented smile on his face.

He had little hopes of bringing off anything in the nature of a bluff;
but he said, in a rasping tone: "We've discovered that the signature of
Lord Loudwater's letter of instructions t