before the Home Office, it seems desirable that the cause of Mrs. Garlett’s death should be fully ascertained,” he said slowly.

Harry Garlett sat down again.

59“On whose information are you acting?” he asked.

59

“That, for obvious reasons, we are not prepared to divulge,” answered the other coldly. And he also sat down.

Harry Garlett’s mind was darting hither and thither. Curse the gossips of Terriford! He had known them to create much smoke where he had felt convinced there was no fire—but never, never so noisome a smoke as this.

His heart became suddenly full of Jean—his darling, innocent little love. Such a child, too, as regarded the evil side of human nature, with all her common sense and practical cleverness. The thought of Jean almost unmanned him, but, in a flash, he realized that if only for her sake he must face this odious inquiry with courage and frankness.

“What is it you desire to know concerning my late wife’s death?” he asked.

“Although Mrs. Garlett’s death was exceedingly sudden, there does not seem to have been any question of an inquest,” observed the man Garlett now knew to represent all the formidable and mysterious powers of the C.I.D.

“There was not the slightest necessity for an inquest,” was the quiet answer. “Dr. Maclean, who had been my wife’s medical attendant for many years, saw her the day before she died.”

Mr. Kentworthy took a thick, small, notebook out of his coat pocket, and opening it, began reading it to himself.

“I am aware of that fact,” he said, without looking up, “and of course my next step will be to call on Dr. Maclean. But before doing that I thought it only fair to come and tell you of my inquiries, Mr. Garlett.” He looked up. “Have you any objection to giving me an account of your wife’s death—as far as you can remember the circumstances? Let me see—it’s only seven months ago, isn’t it?”

Again Harry Garlett made a mighty effort to pull himself together. He had all your honest man’s instinctive, absolute trust in justice. No one believed more firmly than himself that “truth will out, even in an affidavit,” but even so, though he was not exactly 

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