159
XVII. A Blunder and a Discovery 171
XVIII. Springing a Surprise 182
XIX. Picking up Threads 188
XX. "How Sharper Than a Serpent's Tooth" 199
XXI. When Two and Two Make Four 204
XXII. When Four and Four Make Eight 215
XXIII. The Lady at the Gate 226
XXIV. The Mousetrap 237
XXV. The Fly in the Ointment 248
XXVI. The Open Window 260
XXVII. The View Halloo 268
XXVIII. Loisette is Vindicated 279
XXIX. "Quick! Fire!" 287
XXX. Nearing the Truth! 296
XXXI. How the Truth Was Told 304

CHARACTERS

HAMILTON CLEEK, The Man of the Forty Faces and once known to
the Police as "The Vanishing Cracksman," now the great
Detective in his various disguises as Monsieur Georges de
Lesparre, Philip Barch, George Headland.

SUPERINTENDENT NARKOM, of Scotland Yard.

LENNARD, his chauffeur.

HAMMOND } Detective Sergeants.
PETRIE }

MELLISH, Police Officer.

DOLLOPS, Cleek's trusted assistant.

LORD ST. ULMER, the father of

LADY KATHERINE FORDHAM, who is in love with

GEOFFREY CLAVERING, the only son and heir of

SIR PHILIP CLAVERING, of Clavering Close, and

LADY CLAVERING, his second wife.

COUNT FRANZ DE LOUVISAN, found mysteriously murdered after
having forced Lady Katherine to become engaged to him.

AILSA LORNE, Lady Katherine's friend and companion.

GENERAL and

MRS. RAYNOR, Lady Katherine's relatives.

HARRY RAYNOR, their son.

CHAPTER ONE

A MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR

It was half-past eleven on the night of Wednesday, April 14th, when the
well-known red limousine of Mr. Maverick Narkom, superintendent of
Scotland Yard, came abruptly to the head of Mulberry Lane, which, as you
may possibly know, is a narrow road skirting one of the loneliest and
wildest portions of