son?"

"Yes!" replied the Major in a sort of half-whisper. "They--they took him
with them when they went, unknown to me. He has become rather friendly
with the Spanish woman of late. All three saw the body; all three
identified it as being Ulchester's beyond a doubt."

"And you? Surely when you see it you will be able to satisfy any
misgivings you may have?"

"I shall never see it, Mr. Cleek. It was claimed when identified and
buried within twelve hours," said the Major, glancing up sharply as
Cleek, receiving this piece of information, blew out a soft, low
whistle. "I was not told anything about it until this evening, and what
I have done--in coming to you, I mean--I have done with nobody's
knowledge. I--I am so horribly in the dark--I have such fearful thoughts
and--and I want to be sure. I must be sure or I shall go out of my mind.
That's the 'case,' Mr. Cleek--tell me what you think of it."

"I can do that in a very few words, Major," he replied. "It is either a
gigantic swindle or it is a clear case of murder. If a swindle, then
Ulchester himself is at the bottom of it and it will end in murder just
the same. Frankly, the swindle theory strikes me as being the more
probable; in other words, that the whole thing is a put-up game between
Ulchester and the woman Anita; that they played upon Zuilika's fear of
the supernatural for a purpose; that a body was procured and sunk in
that particular spot for the furtherance of that purpose; and if the
widow attempts to put into execution this plan--no doubt instilled into
her mind by Anita--of returning with her wealth to her native land, she
will simply be led into some safe place and then effectually put out of
the way for ever. That is what I think of the case if it is to be
regarded in the light of a swindle; but if Ulchester is really dead,
murder, not suicide, is at the back of his taking off, and--Oh, well, we
won't say anything more about it just yet awhile. I shall want to look
over the ground before I jump to any conclusions. You are still stopping
in the house, you and your son, I think you remarked? If you could
contrive to put up an old army friend's son there for a night, Major,
give me the address. I'll drop in on you to-morrow and have a little
look round."

CHAPTER XXVIII

When, next morning, Major Burnham-Seaforth announced the dilemma in
which, through his own house being temporarily closed, he found himself
owing to the proposed visit of Li