y
with myself for giving way in that case. It seemed all very
straightforward, but it was not."

"May I ask what you mean?"

"I mean, sir, that I am certain that our poor old Indian friend did not
die from the blow that he received from that life-preserver."

"How then?" said Capel, huskily.

"It seems to me that he must have been poisoned in some way or another,
and I could not rest without coming to you."

"Oh, impossible."

"Perhaps so, sir, but I am telling you what I believe. Do you think he
had any enemies here?"

"Oh, no; the servants seemed to have been on friendly terms."

"Well, it hardly seems like it."

"That wretch must have yielded to a terrible temptation," said Capel,
"and the other was defending his master's goods."

"What goods?" said the doctor.

Capel was silent.

"I see, sir, there is more mystery about this than you care to explain.
Was there some heavy sum of money in the late Colonel's room, and were
these two men in league?"

"I don't think they were in league."

"Was any one else interested in the matter?"

"Oh, no; impossible," said Capel, half aloud. "Dr Heston, I am afraid
there is a good deal of imagination in what you say. Let me try and
disabuse your mind."

"I should be glad if you could."

Capel paced the room for a few minutes.

"This has taken me quite by surprise, Doctor Heston," he said. "Give me
a little time to think it over. Will you keep perfectly private all
that you have said to me?"

"I don't like to suspect men unjustly, and yet I'm afraid I've done
wrong, in giving him time," said the doctor, as he went down. "Well, a
week is not an age."

As soon as he had left, Paul Capel let his head go down upon his hands,
for his brain seemed to be in a whirl--the death of Ramo--the
disappearance of the fortune--the visit of the doctor.

It only wanted this latter, with the hints he had thrown out, to fire a
train of latent suspicion in the young man's mind.

There was that open window that the policeman had declared had not been
used. Was he wrong? Had others been in the conspiracy and turned
afterwards on Ramo and Charles? They might have been in the plot. Or,
again, they might have been defending their master's wealth against the
wretch who had escaped with the treasure by the open window.

Those three Italians!

Had they anything to do with the matter?

The old butler! He seemed so quiet and innocent! But often beneath an
air of innoc