had formed
an opinion that the 'cat-woman' was interested in _you_. Whether
because she regarded you as dangerous or from some other cause I could
not determine. And I thought of a plan for finding out if she was by
any chance associated with Friar's Park. It was to send you down here
(a) to make straightforward inquiries, and (b) to 'draw the cat'!"

"Very good of you!" I murmured.

"I warned you it was dangerous!" said Gatton grimly. "But I am pleased
to say the plan worked to perfection. Your own inquiries have been
highly satisfactory and you have also 'drawn the cat'! Now just to
show you how dramatic your discoveries really were I will explain my
second and more important reason and the one which primarily had
prompted me to turn my attention to Friar's Park. A few hours before
you came to the Yard the other morning--to see the bag dropped in the
water by Eric Coverly--I had been in touch with the solicitors who had
acted for the late Sir Burnham."

"Ah!" I exclaimed--"what had they to say?"

"I was seeking information of course respecting the entail; in short,
trying to fathom the mystery of what Eric Coverly would have had to
gain by getting his cousin out of the way. I learned that financially
he gained nothing but a bundle of debts. Friar's Park was mortgaged to
the hilt. Furthermore, Lady Burnham Coverly had a life interest in the
property under the will of her husband.

"Next, from the senior partner, a solicitor of the old school who
still retained pleasant memories of Sir Burnham's port, I learned a
number of very significant details."

He paused, staring at me oddly; and the familiar expression beneath
the unfamiliar disguise was very curious. Then:

"About seven or eight years ago," he resumed, "shortly after his
return from _Egypt_, according to Mr. Hardacre, the solicitor,
something occurred which made a changed man of his client, Sir
Burnham. You will note, Mr. Addison, shortly after his return from
_Egypt_. He realized upon quantities of securities, and raised a big
sum of ready money, which he disposed of in some way which has always
remained a mystery to Mr. Hardacre. In short, within a period of three
years or less, from being a wealthy man, he became a poor one.

"Next, he sent Mr. Roger Coverly, his only child, then a mere lad,
abroad in care of a tutor; Mr. Hardacre never knew for what reason as
there was apparently nothing wrong with the boy's health! He began to
dismiss his servants