portentous airs of Dr Stock. Trent turned the conversation
gradually toward the problem of the crime, and all Marlowe's gravity
returned.

'Bunner has told me what he thinks,' he said when Trent referred to
the American's theory. 'I don't find myself convinced by it, because it
doesn't really explain some of the oddest facts. But I have lived long
enough in the United States to know that such a stroke of revenge, done
in a secret, melodramatic way, is not an unlikely thing. It is quite a
characteristic feature of certain sections of the labour movement there.
Americans have a taste and a talent for that sort of business. Do you
know Huckleberry Finn?'

'Do I know my own name?' exclaimed Trent.

'Well, I think the most American thing in that great American epic is
Tom Sawyer's elaboration of an extremely difficult and romantic scheme,
taking days to carry out, for securing the escape of the nigger Jim,
which could have been managed quite easily in twenty minutes. You know
how fond they are of lodges and brotherhoods. Every college club has its
secret signs and handgrips. You've heard of the Know-Nothing movement in
politics, I dare say, and the Ku Klux Klan. Then look at Brigham Young's
penny-dreadful tyranny in Utah, with real blood. The founders of the
Mormon State were of the purest Yankee stock in America; and you know
what they did. It's all part of the same mental tendency. Americans make
fun of it among themselves. For my part, I take it very seriously.'

'It can have a very hideous side to it, certainly,' said Trent, 'when
you get it in connection with crime--or with vice--or even mere luxury.
But I have a sort of sneaking respect for the determination to make life
interesting and lively in spite of civilization. To return to the matter
in hand, however; has it struck you as a possibility that Manderson's
mind was affected to some extent by this menace that Bunner believes in?
For instance, it was rather an extraordinary thing to send you posting
off like that in the middle of the night.'

'About ten o'clock, to be exact,' replied Marlowe. 'Though, mind you, if
he'd actually roused me out of my bed at midnight I shouldn't have been
very much surprised. It all chimes in with what we've just been saying.
Manderson had a strong streak of the national taste for dramatic
proceedings. He was rather fond of his well-earned reputation for
unexpected strokes and for going for his object with ruthless directness
throu