on of the marriage vows outraged the husband--outraged him. In
fact he was so perturbed, that he stood there shaking, quivering,
unable to speak or act, and the car drove away before he had recovered
sufficient presence of mind to note the number."

"In which direction did the car proceed?"

"Toward Victoria Station."

"Any other particulars?"

"Not regarding the car, its driver, or its occupants; but early on the
following morning, Mr. Vernon, very much shaken, called upon me and
instructed me to despatch an agent to Perth immediately. My agent's
report reached me at practically the same time as the news of my
client's death"...

"And his report was?"...

"His report, Inspector, telegraphic, of course, was this: that no sister
of Mrs. Vernon resided at the address; that the place was a cottage
occupied by a certain Mrs. Fry and her husband; that the husband was of
no occupation, and had no visible means of support"--he ticked off the
points on the long forefinger--"that the Frys lived better than any
of their neighbors; and--most important of all--that Mrs. Fry's maiden
name, which my agent discovered by recourse to the parish register of
marriages--was Ann Fairchild."

"What of that?"

"Ann Fairchild was a former maid of Mrs. Vernon!"

"In short, it amounts to this, then: Mrs. Vernon, during these various
absences, never went to Scotland at all? It was a conspiracy?"

"Exactly--exactly, Inspector! I wired instructing my agent to extort
from the woman, Fry, the address to which she forwarded letters received
by her for Mrs. Vernon. The lady's death, news of which will now have
reached him, will no doubt be a lever, enabling my representative to
obtain the desired information."

"When do you expect to hear from him?"

"At any moment. Failing a full confession by the Frys, you will of
course know how to act, Inspector?"

"Damme!" cried Dunbar, "can your man be relied upon to watch them? They
mustn't slip away! Shall I instruct Perth to arrest the couple?"

"I wired my agent this morning, Inspector, to communicate with the local
police respecting the Frys."

Inspector Dunbar tapped his small, widely-separated teeth with the end
of his fountain-pen.

"I have had one priceless witness slip through my fingers," he muttered.
"I'll hand in my resignation if the Frys go!"

"To whom do you refer?"

Inspector Dunbar rose.

"It is a point with which I need not trouble you, sir," he said. "It was
not inclu