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"If he went to his brother's house after his visit to Hurst, the disappearance isaccusations of murder about rather casually; for the disposal of the body would be much less difficult in that case Apparently no one saw hiate which co some distance from the house In that case it would have been physically possible for the Bellinghams to have made aith him There was plenty of time to dispose of the body unobserved--temporarily, at any rate Nobody had seen him come to the house, and nobody knew that he was there--if he was there; and apparently no search was made either at the time or afterwards In fact, if it could be shown that thethe scarab when he arrived there, things would look rather fishy for the Bellinghairl must have been in it if the father was But there's the crux: there is no proof that the man ever did leave Hurst's house alive And if he didn't--but there! as I said at first, whichever turning you take, you find that it ends in a blind alley"

"A la to a masterly exposition," was Thorndyke's comment

"I know," said Jervis "But ould you have? There are quite a number of possible solutions, and one of thee which it is? Iof the parties and the financial and other interests involved we have no data"

"There," said Thorndyke, "I disagree with you entirely I maintain that we have a which of the various possible solutions is the true one; but I think that if you will read the report carefully and thoughtfully you will find that the facts non to us point clearly to one explanation, and one only It may not be the true explanation, and I don't suppose it is But we are now dealing with the matter speculatively, academically, and I contend that our data yield a definite conclusion What do you say, Berkeley?"

"I say that it is tiin at half-past six"

"Well," said Thorndyke, "don't let us keep you fro in the Grecian Isles But coain Drop in when you like, after your work is done You won't be in our way even if we are busy, which we very seldoht o'clock"