attachment；　he　had　left　that　conviction　on　all　of　them。　　What　was
  the　meaning　of　it？
  A　directory　was　on　the　mantelpiece。　　It　was　the　next　afternoon。　　I
  had　called　upon　him　in　his　chambers。　　It　was　just　an　idea　that　came
  to　me。　　I　crossed　over　and　opened　it；　and　there　was　his　name；
  〃Ellenby　and　Co。；　Ships'　Furnishers；〃　in　a　court　off　the　Minories。
  Was　he　helping　her　for　the　sake　of　his　dead　mastertrying　to　get
  her　away　from　the　man。　　But　why？　　The　woman　had　stood　by　and　watched
  the　lad　murdered。　　How　could　he　bear　even　to　look　on　her　again？
  Unless　there　had　been　that　something　that　had　not　come　out
  something　he　had　learnt　laterthat　excused　even　that　monstrous
  callousness　of　hers。
  Yet　what　could　there　be？　　It　had　all　been　so　planned；　so
  cold…blooded。　　That　shaving　in　the　dining…room！　　It　was　that　seemed
  most　to　stick　in　his　throat。　　She　must　have　brought　him　down　a
  looking…glass；　there　was　not　one　in　the　room。　　Why　couldn't　he　have
  gone　upstairs　into　the　bathroom；　where　Hepworth　always　shaved
  himself；　where　he　would　have　found　everything　to　his　hand？
  He　had　been　moving　about　the　room；　talking　disjointedly　as　he　paced；
  and　suddenly　he　stopped　and　looked　at　me。
  〃Why　in　the　dining…room？〃　he　demanded　of　me。
  He　was　jingling　some　keys　in　his　pocket。　　It　was　a　habit　of　his　when
  cross…examining；　and　I　felt　as　if　somehow　I　knew；　and；　without
  thinkingso　it　seemed　to　meI　answered　him。
  〃Perhaps；〃　I　said；　〃it　was　easier　to　bring　a　razor　down　than　to
  carry　a　dead　man　up。〃
  He　leant　with　his　arms　across　the　table；　his　eyes　glittering　with
  excitement。
  〃Can't　you　see　it？〃　he　said。　　〃That　little　back　parlour　with　its
  fussy　ornaments。　　The　three　of　them　standing　round　the　table；
  Hepworth's　hands　nervously　clutching　a　chair。　　The　reproaches；　the
  taunts；　the　threats。　　Young　Hepworthhe　struck　everyone　as　a　weak
  man；　a　man　physically　afraidwhite；　stammering；　not　knowing　which
  way　to　look。　　The　woman's　eyes　turning　from　one　to　the　other。　　That
  flash　of　contempt　againshe　could　not　help　itfollowed；　worse
  still；　by　pity。　　If　only　he　could　have　answered　back；　held　his　own！
  If　only　he　had　not　been　afraid！　　And　then　that　fatal　turning　away
  with　a　sneering　laugh　one　imagines；　the　bold；　dominating　eyes　no
  longer　there　to　cower　him。
  〃That　must　have　been　the　moment。　　The　bullet；　if　you　remember；
  entered　through　the　back　of　the　man's　neck。　　Hepworth　must　always
  have　been　picturing　to　himself　this　meetingtenants　of　garden
  suburbs　do　not　carry　loaded　revolvers　as　a　habitdwelling　upon　it
  till　he　had　worked　himself　up　into　a　frenzy　of　hate　and　fear。　　Weak
  men　always　fly　to　extremes。　　If　there　was　no　other　way；　he　would
  kill　him。
  〃Can't　you　hear　the　silence？　　After　the　reverberations　had　died
  away！　　And　then　they　are　both　down　on　their　knees；　patting　him；
  feeling　for　his　heart。　　The　man　must　have　gone　down　like　a　felled
  ox；　there　were　no　traces　of　blood　on　the　carpet。　　The　house　is　far
  from　any　neighbour；　the　shot　in　all　probability　has　not　been　heard。
  If　only　they　can　get　rid　of　the　body！　　The　pondnot　a　hundred　yards
  away！〃
  He　reached　for　the　brief；　still　lying　among　his　papers；　hurriedly
  turned　the　scored　pages。
  〃What　easier？　　A　house　being　built　on　the　very　next　plot。
  Wheelbarrows　to　be　had　for　the　taking。　　A　line　of　planks　reaching
  down　to　the　edge。　　Depth　of　water　where　the　body　was　discovered　four
  feet　six　inches。　　Nothing　to　do　but　just　tip　up　the　barrow。
  〃Think　a　minute。　　Must　weigh　him　down；　lest　he　rise　to　accuse　us；
  weight　him　heavily；　so　that　he　will　sink　lower　and　lower　into　the
  soft　mud；　lie　there　till　he　rots。
  〃Think　again。　　Think　it　out　to　the　end。　　Suppose；　in　spite　of　all
  our　precautions；　he　does　rise？　　Suppose　the　chain　slips？　　The
  workmen　going　to　and　fro　for　watersuppose　they　do　discover　him？
  〃He　is　lying　on　his　back；　remember。　　They　would　have　turned　him　over
  to　feel　for　his　heart。　　Have　closed　his　eyes；　most　probably；　not
  liking　their　stare。
  〃It　would　be　the　woman　who　first　thought　of　it。　　She　has　seen　them
  both　lying　with　closed　eyes　beside　her。　　It　may　have　always　been　in
  her　mind；　the　likeness　between　them。　　With　Hepworth's　watch　in　his
  pocket；　Hepworth's　ring　on　his　finger！　　If　only　it　was　not　for　the
  beardthat　fierce；　curling；　red　beard！
  〃They　creep　to　the　window　and　peer　out。　　Fog　still　thick　as　soup。
  Not　a　soul；　not　a　sound。　　Plenty　of　time。
  〃Then　to　get　away；　to　hide　till　one　is　sure。　　Put　on　the　mackintosh。
  A　man　in　a　yellow　mackintosh　may　have　been　seen　to　enter；　let　him　be
  seen　to　go　away。　　In　some　dark　corner　or　some　empty　railway　carriage
  take　it　off　and　roll　it　up。　　Then　make　for　the　office。　　Wait　there
  for　Ellenby。　　True　as　steel；　Ellenby；　good　business　man。　　Be　guided
  by　Ellenby。〃
  He　flung　the　brief　from　him　with　a　laugh。
  〃Why；　there's　not　a　missing　link！〃　he　cried。　　〃And　to　think　that　not
  a　fool　among　us　ever　thought　of　it！〃
  〃Everything　fitting　into　its　place；〃　I　suggested；　〃except　young
  Hepworth。　　Can　you　see　him；　from　your　description　of　him；　sitting
  down　and　coolly　elaborating　plans　for　escape；　the　corpse　of　the
  murdered　man　stretched　beside　him　on　the　hearthrug？〃
  〃No；〃　he　answered。　　〃But　I　can　see　her　doing　it；　a　woman　who　for
  week　after　week　kept　silence　while　we　raged　and　stormed　at　her；　a
  woman　who　for　three　hours　sat　like　a　statue　while　old　Cutbush
  painted　her　to　a　crowded　court　as　a　modern　Jezebel；　who　rose　up　from
  her　seat　when　that　sentence　of　fifteen　years'　penal　servitude　was
  pronounced　upon　her　with　a　look　of　triumph　in　her　eyes；　and　walked
  out　of　court　as　if　she　had　been　a　girl　going　to　meet　her　lover。
  〃I'll　wager；〃　he　added；　〃it　was　she　who　did　the　shaving。　　Hepworth
  would　have　cut　him；　even　with　a　safety…razor。〃
  〃It　must　have　been　the　other　one；　Martin；〃　I　said；　〃that　she
  loathed。　　That　almost　exultation　at　the　thought　that　he　was　dead；〃　I
  reminded　him。
  〃Yes；〃　he　mused。　　〃She　made　no　attempt　to　disguise　it。　　Curious
  there　having　been　that　likeness　between　them。〃　　He　looked　at　his
  watch。　　〃Do　you　care　to　come　with　me？〃　he　said。
  〃Where　are　you　going？〃　I　asked　him。
  〃We　may　just　catch　him；〃　he　answered。　　〃Ellenby　and　Co。〃
  *　　　　　　　　　　*　　　　　　　　　　*
  The　office　was　on　the　top　floor　of　an　old…fashioned　house　in　a
  cul…de…sac　off　the　Minories。　　Mr。　Ellenby　was　out；　so　the　lanky
  office…boy　informed　us；　but　would　be　sure　to　return　before　evening；
  and　we　sat　and　waited　by　the　meagre　fire　till；　as　the　dusk　was
  falling；　we　heard　his　footsteps　on　the　creaking　stairs。
  He　halted　a　moment　in　the　doorway；　recognising　us　apparently　without
  surprise；　and　then；　with　a　hope　that　we　had　not　been　kept　waiting
  long；　he　led　the　way　into　an　inner　room。
  〃I　do　not　suppose　you　remember　me；〃　said　my　friend；　as　soon　as　the
  door　was　closed。　　〃I　fancy　that；　until　last　night；　you　never　saw　me
  without　my　wig　and　gown。　　It　makes　a　difference。　　I　was　Mrs。
  Hepworth's　senior　counsel。〃
  It　was　unmistakable；　the　look　of　relief　that　came　into　the　old；　dim
  eyes。　　Evidently　the　incident　of　the　previous　evening　had　suggested
  to　him　an　enemy。
  〃You　were　very　good；〃　he　murmured。　　〃Mrs。　Hepworth　was　overwrought
  at　the　time；　but　she　was　very　grateful；　I　know；　for　all　your
  efforts。〃
  I　thought　I　detected　a　faint　smile　on　my　friend's　lips。
  〃I　must　apologise　for　my　rudeness　to　you　of　last　night；〃　he
  continued。　　〃I　expected；　when　I　took　the　liberty　of　turning　you
  round；　that　I　was　going　to　find　myself　face　to　face　with　a　much
  younger　man。〃
  〃I　took　you　to　be　a　detective；〃　answered　Ellenby；　in　his　soft；
  gentle　voice。　　〃You　will　forgive　me；　I'm　sure。　　I　am　rather　short…
  sighted。　　Of　course；　I　can　only　conjecture；　but　if　you　will　take　my
  word；　I　can　assure　you　that　Mrs。　Hepworth　has　never　seen　or　heard
  from　the　man　Charlie　Martin　since　the　date　of〃he　hesitated　a
  moment〃of　the　murder。〃
  〃It　would　have　been　difficult；〃　agreed　my　friend；　〃seeing　that
  Charlie　Martin　lies　buried　in　Highgate　Cemetery。〃
  Old　as　he　was；　he　sprang　from　his　chair；　white　and　trembling。
  〃What　have　you　come　here　for？〃　he　demanded。
  〃I　took　more　than　a　professional　interest　in　the　case；〃　answered　my
  friend。　　〃Ten　years　ago　I　was　younger　than　I　am　now。　　It　may　have
  been　her　youthher　extreme　beauty。　　I　think　Mrs。　Hepworth；　in
  allowing　her　husband　to　visit　herhere　where　her　address　is　known
  to　the　police；　and　watch　at　any　moment　may　be　set　upon　heris
  placing　him　in　a　position　of　grave　danger。　　If　you　care　to　lay
  before　me　any　facts　that　will　allow　me　to　judge　of　the　case；　I　am
  prepared　to　put　my　experience；　and；　if　need　be；　my　assistance；　at
  her　service。〃
  His　self…possession　had　returned　to　him。
  〃If　you　will　excuse　me；〃　he　said；　〃I　will　tell　the　boy　that　he　can
  go。〃
  We　heard　him；　a　moment　later；　turn　the　key　in　the　outer　door；　and
  when　he　came　back　and　had　made　up　the　fire；　he　told　us　the　beginning
  of　the　story。
  The　name　of　the　man　buried　in　Highgate　Cemetery　was　Hepworth；　after
  all。　　Not　Michael；　but　Alex；　the　elder　brother。
  From　boyhood　he　had　been　violent；　brutal；　unscrupulous。　　Judging
  from　Ellenby's　story；　it　was　difficult　to　accept　him　as　a　product　of
  modern　civilisation。　　Rather　he　would　seem　to　have　been　a　throwback
  to　some　savage；　buccaneering　ance