en Thorndyke,
beneath his habitual calm, showed a trace of expectancy and pleasurable
anticipation.

"I have taken the liberty of making certain little arrangements on your
behalf," he said, as we sat at breakfast, "of which I hope you will not
disapprove. I have written to Mrs. Hornby, who is one of the witnesses,
to say that you will meet her at Mr. Lawley's office and escort her and
Miss Gibson to the court. Walter Hornby may be with them, and, if he is,
you had better leave him, if possible, to come on with Lawley."

"You will not come to the office, then?"

"No. I shall go straight to the court with Anstey. Besides, I am
expecting Superintendent Miller from Scotland Yard, who will probably
walk down with us."

"I am glad to hear that," I said; "for I have been rather uneasy at the
thought of your mixing in the crowd without some kind of protection."

"Well, you see that I am taking precautions against the assaults of the
too-ingenious X, and, to tell the truth--and also to commit a flagrant
bull--I should never forgive myself if I allowed him to kill me before I
had completed Reuben Hornby's defence. Ah, here is Polton--that man is
on wires this morning; he has been wandering in and out of the rooms
ever since he came, like a cat in a new house."

"It's quite true, sir," said Polton, smiling and unabashed, "so it's no
use denying it. I have come to ask what we are going to take with us to
the court."

"You will find a box and a portfolio on the table in my room," replied
Thorndyke. "We had better also take a microscope and the micrometers,
though we are not likely to want them; that is all, I think."

"A box and a portfolio," repeated Polton in a speculative tone. "Yes,
sir, I will take them with me." He opened the door and was about to
pass out, when, perceiving a visitor ascending the stairs, he turned
back.

"Here's Mr. Miller, from Scotland Yard, sir; shall I show him in?"

"Yes, do." He rose from his chair as a tall, military-looking man
entered the room and saluted, casting, at the same time, an inquiring
glance in my direction.

"Good morning, Doctor," he said briskly. "I got your letter and couldn't
make such of it, but I have brought down a couple of plain-clothes men
and a uniform man, as you suggested. I understand you want a house
watched?"

"Yes, and a man, too. I will give you the particulars presently--that
is, if you think you can agree to my conditions."

"That I act entirely on my