turned and left the room, coming back a moment later
with Lieutenant Norman Fraser-Freer. The boy was pale; I could see at a
glance that he had not slept for several nights.

"Lieutenant," said Bray very sharply, "will you tell me--is it true that
your brother, the late captain, had loaned you a large sum of money a
year or so ago?"

"Quite true," answered the lieutenant in a low voice.

"You and he had quarreled about the amount of money you spent?"

"Yes."

"By his death you became the sole heir of your father, the general. Your
position with the money-lenders was quite altered. Am I right?"

"I fancy so."

"Last Thursday afternoon you went to the Army and Navy Stores and
purchased a revolver. You already had your service weapon, but to shoot
a man with a bullet from that would be to make the hunt of the police
for the murderer absurdly simple."

The boy made no answer.

"Let us suppose," Bray went on, "that last Thursday evening at half
after six you called on your brother in his rooms at Adelphi Terrace.
There was an argument about money. You became enraged. You saw him and
him alone between you and the fortune you needed so badly. Then--I am
only supposing--you noticed on his table an odd knife he had brought
from India--safer--more silent--than a gun. You seized it--"

"Why suppose?" the boy broke in. "I'm not trying to conceal anything.
You're right--I did it! I killed my brother! Now let us get the whole
business over as soon as may be."

Into the face of Inspector Bray there came at that moment a look that
has puzzling me ever since--a look that has recurred to my mind again
and again,--in the stress and storm of this eventful day. It was only
too evident that this confession came to him as a shock. I presume so
easy a victory seemed hollow to him; he was wishing the boy had put up a
fight. Policemen are probably like that.

"My boy," he said, "I am sorry for you. My course is clear. If you will
go with one of my men--"

It was at this point that the door of the inspector's room opened and
Colonel Hughes, cool and smiling, walked in. Bray chuckled at sight of
the military man.

"Ah, Colonel," he cried, "you make a good entrance! This morning, when I
discovered that I had the honor of having you associated with me in the
search for the captain's murderer, you were foolish enough to make a
little wager--"

"I remember," Hughes answered. "A scarab pin against--a Homburg hat."

"Precisely," sai