fort of
will to do this, though he would have found it difficult to explain just
what tricks his emotions were playing.

"Here are the impressions you wanted," he said. "Will you take them?"

Whiteside took the cards with a nod and examined the inky smudges, and
all the time Tarling's heart stood still, for Inspector Whiteside was the
recognised authority of the Police Intelligence Department on finger
prints and their characteristics.

The survey was a long one.

Tarling remembered the scene for years afterwards; the sunlit path, the
straggling idlers, the carriages pursuing their leisurely way along the
walks, and the stiff military figure of Whiteside standing almost to
attention, his keen eyes peering down at the little cards which he held
in the finger-tips of both hands. Then:

"Interesting," he said. "You notice that the two figures are almost the
same--which is rather extraordinary. Very interesting."

"Well?" asked Tarling impatiently, almost savagely.

"Interesting," said Whiteside again, "but none of these correspond to the
thumb prints on the bureau."

"Thank God for that!" said Tarling fervently "Thank God for that!"

CHAPTER XIX

LING CHU TELLS THE TRUTH

The firm of Dashwood and Solomon occupied a narrow-fronted building in
the heart of the City of London. Its reputation stood as high as any, and
it numbered amongst its clients the best houses in Britain. Both partners
had been knighted, and it was Sir Felix Solomon who received Tarling in
his private office.

Sir Felix was a tall, good-looking man, well past middle age, rather
brusque of manner but kindly withal, and he looked up over his glasses as
the detective entered.

"Scotland Yard, eh?" he said, glancing at Tarling's card. "Well, I can
give you exactly five minutes, Mr. Tarling. I presume you've come to see
me about the Lyne accounts?"

Tarling nodded.

"We have not been able to start on these yet," said Sir Felix, "though we
are hoping to go into them to-morrow. We're terribly rushed just now, and
we've had to get in an extra staff to deal with this new work the
Government has put on us--by-the-way, you know that we are not Lyne's
accountants; they are Messrs. Purbrake & Store, but we have taken on the
work at the request of Mr. Purbrake, who very naturally wishes to have an
independent investigation, as there seems to be some question of
defalcation on the part of one of the employees. This, coupled with the
tragic de