go, Mr. Kentworthy.”

“Yes, Mr. Garlett?”

Try as he might, he could not bring back the kindly tone into which he felt he had been betrayed during the latter part of their conversation.

“I suppose the only thing that would set the matter absolutely at rest would be the exhumation of my wife’s body?”

“That is so—obviously,” answered the other, briefly.

69

CHAPTER VII

Within an hour of his having left the Etna factory, James Kentworthy got up from his chair in Dr. Maclean’s consulting room.

The man who had come down to Terriford to make these delicate inquiries was honest and conscientious, set on finding out the truth and nothing but the truth. Also, this was to be his last official investigation, and he had every reason for hoping that it would be a short business. The moment it was over he was to retire from the service and start for himself as a private inquiry agent. He was, therefore, sincerely glad that the conversation he had had with the late Mrs. Garlett’s medical man had been, from his point of view, thoroughly satisfactory.

During the first few minutes of his interview with Mr. Kentworthy, Dr. Maclean had been so indignant and so shocked when he realized his visitor’s business, that he had been very unwilling to give the police inspector any information. But he had soon realized that this was a mistake on his part, and by the end of their conversation the two men were on excellent terms the one with the other.

And now that their long talk was, as they both thought, drawing to an end, Dr. Maclean said earnestly:

“I do hope, Mr. Kentworthy, that I have been able to convince you not only that Mrs. Garlett died a natural death, but that my friend Garlett himself was for long years an exceptionally good husband to the poor, sickly woman?”

“You have convinced me,” said the inspector frankly, “that Mrs. Garlett’s death was almost certainly a natural death. But I cannot pledge my superiors in any way, and the best thing would be for you to come with me to London to-night and see the gentleman in charge of the case to-morrow morning.”

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