m."

He turned from the safe and examined the part of the floor on which the
Marquess had fallen; then he caught sight of the poker and pursed his
lips.

"That's what did it," he said, confidently. "The blood's still wet on
it."

Heyton made as if to pick up the poker, but the Inspector caught his arm
and stayed him.

"Beg pardon, my lord," he said, apologetically. "But you mustn't touch
anything. We'll let everything bide as it is until the detective comes
down from Scotland Yard."

He went to the window and examined it; but without touching it.

"Closed and hasped! Have you any idea how they got in, my lord; have any
of the servants found a window or a door open?"

"No," replied Heyton; then he added, as if he had suddenly remembered.
"Here, by George, that's strange! I mean about the window. I found one
of the back windows open when I went down this morning for a swim."

"Oh!" said the Inspector. "I should like to see that window, my lord.
But one moment! Was there anything of value--I mean, jewels or money or
anything of that kind--in the safe?"

"Not that I'm aware of," replied Heyton, almost instantly; but he had
had time to consider the question. "There may have been, of course. Not
jewels, because my father kept the family diamonds at the bank."

"That's something to be thankful for, my lord," said the Inspector, with
an approving shake of the head. "Quite the proper thing to do. There
wouldn't be half the burglaries, if the gentry didn't leave their jewels
about in the way they do. But there might have been money?"

"Oh, yes, there might," said Heyton.

The Inspector walked round the room cautiously, and presently went to
the outer door.

"Is this locked, my lord?"

"I don't know," said Heyton; and, as if he had forgotten the Inspector's
injunction, he tried the handle of the door before the Inspector could
stop him. "It's locked," said Heyton.

"Tut, tut!" said the Inspector to himself, as if he were much annoyed by
something.

"Come on," said Heyton. "I'll show you the window I found open." He was
consumed by a feverish desire to get the Inspector out of the room.

They went down to the lower hall, the white-faced servants staring at
them from coigns of vantage; and the Inspector glanced swiftly at the
window and then at the hall.

"That's where they got in," he said. "Nothing easier. There is no door,
I suppose, between the Marquess's room and the window here?"

"No," replied Heyton,