tion--as I shall--we shall be a long way on the road
towards establishing Aylmore's innocence."

Breton made no remark upon this. He was looking at Spargo with a
meditative expression.

"Spargo," he said, suddenly, "do you think you'll get that order for
the opening of the grave at Market Milcaster?"

"I was talking to the solicitors over the 'phone just now," answered
Spargo. "They've every confidence about it. In fact, it's possible it
may be made this afternoon. In that case, the opening will be made
early tomorrow morning."

"Shall you go?" asked Breton.

"Certainly. And you can go with me, if you like. Better keep in touch
with us all day in case we hear. You ought to be there--you're
concerned."

"I should like to go--I will go," said Breton. "And if that grave
proves to be--empty--I'll--I'll tell you something."

Spargo looked up with sharp instinct.

"You'll tell me something? Something? What?"

"Never mind--wait until we see if that coffin contains a dead body or
lead and sawdust. If there's no body there----"

At that moment one of the senior messenger boys came in and approached
Spargo. His countenance, usually subdued to an official stolidity,
showed signs of something very like excitement.

"There's a man downstairs asking for you, Mr. Spargo," he said. "He's
been hanging about a bit, sir,--seems very shy about coming up. He
won't say what he wants, and he won't fill up a form, sir. Says all he
wants is a word or two with you."

"Bring him up at once!" commanded Spargo. He turned to Breton when the
boy had gone. "There!" he said, laughing. "This is the man about the
stick--you see if it isn't."

"You're such a cock-sure chap, Spargo," said Breton. "You're always
going on a straight line."

"Trying to, you mean," retorted Spargo. "Well, stop here, and hear what
this chap has to say: it'll no doubt be amusing."

The messenger boy, deeply conscious that he was ushering into Spargo's
room an individual who might shortly carry away a thousand pounds of
good _Watchman_ money in his pocket, opened the door and introduced a
shy and self-conscious young man, whose nervousness was painfully
apparent to everybody and deeply felt by himself. He halted on the
threshold, looking round the comfortably-furnished room, and at the two
well-dressed young men which it framed as if he feared to enter on a
scene of such grandeur.

"Come in, come in!" said Spargo, rising and pointing to an easy-chair
at the