where her body was found, and only an hour or two before she was found, and her clothes, belongings and hairpins were taken away afterwards.”

“Why?” asked Yardley.

“Ah! now we get to speculation; but I think it was an attempt to hide her identity. There you have your clue, Parkyns. At any rate, it’s the only clue I see at the moment, and it’s one well worth your while to follow up.”

“But in what way is it a clue?”

[100]“It’s a clue, because whoever committed that murder—and mind you it was murder, I’ve not a shadow of a doubt about that—whoever committed that murder took pains that the body should not be identified. Therefore, they feared that identification might throw suspicion in their direction. You must first make certain that the body is that of Miss Stableford. You say there were two teeth stopped with gold in the upper jaw. Advertise for her dentist, and see if you can identify that stopping. If you do that, then trace back the history of Miss Stableford till you find someone likely to have desired her death; someone upon whom the mere proof of identity can throw suspicion.”

[100]

The barrister nodded to the two detectives and went his way.

They watched him disappear in the crowd, and as they parted Parkyns said:

[101]“Jove! I wish we’d got him in the force.”

[101]

“Yes. He’d be a jewel for you, wouldn’t he? I often wonder how it is he always puts his finger on the spot, and generally a spot nobody else ever thought of.”

“Yes, it’s funny. I’ve no doubt whatever he is right, and that it’s a case of murder. Why didn’t you and I think of that? Honour bright, I’d have cheerfully taken the jury’s verdict if it hadn’t been for what he said.”

“So should I,” answered Yardley. “Parkyns,” he continued, “if the girl were murdered, somebody did it. Who was it?”

“Yes, that’s just the little detail you and I have got to try to find out.”

Tempest left town to pay his postponed visit. With the verdict of suicide the public rested content; and after the natural publicity of the 

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