ody had been robbing the firm, but that I
was unable to detect that somebody. Would not the fact that I was morally
responsible for the finances of Lyne's Stores cause me particular
unhappiness?"

"You speak like a book," said Whiteside, "and I for one don't believe a
word you say. I think you were a thief, Milburgh; but go on your own
sweet way."

"I thank you," said Mr. Milburgh sarcastically. "Well, gentlemen, matters
had come to a crisis. I felt my responsibility. I knew somebody had been
robbing the house and I had an idea that possibly I would be suspected,
and that those who were dear to me"--his voice shook for a moment, broke,
and grew husky--"those who were dear to me," he repeated, "would be
visited with my sins of omission.

"Miss Odette Rider had been dismissed from the firm of Lyne's Stores in
consequence of her having rejected the undesirable advances of the late
Mr. Lyne. Mr. Lyne turned the whole weight of his rage against this girl,
and that gave me an idea.

"The night after the interview--or it may have been the same night--I
refer to the interview which Mr. Tarling had with the late Thornton
Lyne--I was working late at the office. I was, in fact, clearing up Mr.
Lyne's desk. I had occasion to leave the office, and on my return found
the place in darkness. I re-connected the light, and then discovered on
the desk a particularly murderous looking revolver.

"In the statement I made to you, sir," he turned to Tarling, "I said that
that pistol had not been found by me; and indeed, I professed the
profoundest ignorance of its existence. I regret to confess to you that I
was telling an untruth. I did find the pistol; I put it in my pocket and
I took it home. It is probable that with that pistol Mr. Lyne was fatally
shot."

Tarling nodded.

"I hadn't the slightest doubt about that, Milburgh. You also had another
automatic pistol, purchased subsequent to the murder from John Wadham's
of Holborn Circus."

Mr. Milburgh bowed his head.

"That is perfectly true, sir," he said. "I have such a weapon. I live a
very lonely kind of life, and----"

"You need not explain. I merely tell you," said Tarling, "that I know
where you got the pistol with which you shot at me on the night I brought
Odette Rider back from Ashford."

Mr. Milburgh closed his eyes and there was resignation written largely on
his face--the resignation of an ill-used and falsely-accused man.

"I think it would be better not to disc