uld have saved you the
trouble of coming here had we known where you were staying in London."

Dr. Panton felt, not unreasonably, annoyed. "If only Dr. Spiller had
sent me a wire yesterday," he exclaimed vexedly, "he had my address in
the country, I should have been saved a useless visit to London!"

"He couldn't have let you know in time, for the matter was only settled
this morning."

There was a pause, and then the speaker added: "You will send in a
minute of your expenses, of course?"

Dr. Panton bowed stiffly. He felt that he had been badly treated.

"I'm sorry you have been put to this inconvenience," and the courteous
Home Office official really did look distressed. He waited a moment. "I
think you know a friend of mine, Miss Blanche Farrow, Dr. Panton?" he
said a little awkwardly.

"Yes; we've both been staying in the same house for the New Year."

Panton's good-humour had come back; he was telling himself, with some
amusement, how very small the world is, after all!

There was a pause, and then Panton asked: "Do you happen to know Lionel
Varick, who owns the beautiful house where Miss Farrow and I have both
been staying, Mr.--er--?"

"Gifford," supplied the other quickly. "Yes, I have been slightly
acquainted with Mr. Varick for some years." A very uncomfortable,
peculiar look came over the speaker's face. "I wonder if you have heard
of the terrible thing which happened yesterday at Wyndfell Hall?" he
asked abruptly.

"I only left the house at five o'clock," exclaimed Dr. Panton; and then,
as he saw the look of gravity deepen on the other man's face, he asked:
"Was there a fire there last night? I trust not!"

"No," said the other, slowly, "nothing has happened to the house, Dr.
Panton. But your friend Mr. Varick is dead. He went out for a walk in
the dark, and seems to have slipped over the side of an embankment into
deep water. His body was not recovered for some hours--in fact, not till
early this morning."

Dr. Panton got up from the chair on which he had been sitting. He was
too shocked, too taken aback, to speak, and the other went on:

"I cannot give you many details, for when Miss Farrow telephoned to me
she was very much upset, and the line was very bad. But I may add that
there is no doubt about it, for the news was confirmed, through another
source, half an hour later."

"What a terrible thing! What an awful--awful thing!"

The young doctor looked overwhelmed with horror and surpris