e was something compelling in Ned's directness. Simon pushed aside
the papers and looked at him fixedly.

"Oh," he said. "They say that, do they?"

"Haven't you heard?"

Simon's grunt was non-committal.

"Well anyway, this derned story is going about, and something's got to
be done to stop it."

"What do you suggest?"

"Are you still working the case for all you know how?"

Simon seemed to resent this enquiry a little.

"I am the Procurator Fiscal. The police make the actual enquiries. They
have done everything they could."

"'They have done'? Do you mean that they have stopped looking for the
murderer?"

"Certainly not. They are still enquiring; not that it is likely to be
much further use."

There seemed to be a sardonic note in his last words that deepened
Cromarty's frown and kindled his eye.

"You mean to suggest that any conclusion has been reached?"

"Nothing is absolutely certain," said Simon.

Again the accent on the "absolutely" seemed to rouse his visitor's ire.

"You believe this story, do you?"

"If I _believed_ it, I should order an arrest. I have just told you
nothing is absolutely certain."

"Look here," said Cromarty, "I don't want to crab Superintendent
Sutherland or his men, but you want to get somebody better than them on
to this job."

Though the Procurator Fiscal kept his feelings well in hand, it was
evident that this suggestion struck him more unfavourably than anything
his visitor had said yet. He even seemed for one instant to be a little
startled by its audacity.

"I disagree," he muttered.

"Now don't you take offence, Mr. Rattar," said Ned with a sudden smile.
"I'm not aiming this at you, but, hang it, you know as well as I do that
Sutherland is no great shakes at detection. They are all just country
bobbies. What we want is a London detective."

Simon seemed to have recovered his equanimity during this speech. He
shook his head emphatically, but his voice was as dispassionately
brusque as ever.

"London detective? Much over-rated people, I assure you. No use in a
case of this kind."

"The very kind of case a real copper-bottomed expert would be some use
in!"

"You are thinking of detectives in stories, Mr. Cromarty. The real men
are no better than Sutherland--not a bit. I believe in Sutherland.
Better man than he looks. Very shrewd, most painstaking. Couldn't have a
better man. Useless expense getting a man from London."

"Don't you trouble about the expen