ellow；　he　looks　pretty　dangerous。〃　　　　　〃Well；　sir；〃　said　the　sergeant；　with　the　same　odd　look　of　wonder；　〃I　don't　know　that　we　can。〃　　　　　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　asked　the　other　sharply。　　〃Haven't　you　arrested　him？〃　　　　　A　faint　scorn　widened　the　slit…like　mouth；　and　the　whistle　of　an　approaching　train　seemed　oddly　to　echo　the　mockery。　　　　　〃We　arrested　him；〃　replied　the　sergeant　gravely；　〃just　as　he　was　coming　out　of　the　police　station　at　Highgate；　where　he　had　deposited　all　his　master's　money　in　the　care　of　Inspector　Robinson。〃　　　　　Gilder　looked　at　the　man…servant　in　utter　amazement。　　〃Why　on　earth　did　you　do　that？〃　he　asked　of　Magnus。　　　　　〃To　keep　it　safe　from　the　criminal；　of　course；〃　replied　that　person　placidly。　　　　　〃Surely；〃　said　Gilder；　〃Sir　Aaron's　money　might　have　been　safely　left　with　Sir　Aaron's　family。〃　　　　　The　tail　of　his　sentence　was　drowned　in　the　roar　of　the　train　as　it　went　rocking　and　clanking；　but　through　all　the　hell　of　noises　to　which　that　unhappy　house　was　periodically　subject；　they　could　hear　the　syllables　of　Magnus's　answer；　in　all　their　bell…like　distinctness：　〃I　have　no　reason　to　feel　confidence　in　Sir　Aaron's　family。〃　　　　　All　the　motionless　men　had　the　ghostly　sensation　of　the　presence　of　some　new　person；　and　Merton　was　scarcely　surprised　when　he　looked　up　and　saw　the　pale　face　of　Armstrong's　daughter　over　Father　Brown's　shoulder。　　She　was　still　young　and　beautiful　in　a　silvery　style；　but　her　hair　was　of　so　dusty　and　hueless　a　brown　that　in　some　shadows　it　seemed　to　have　turned　totally　grey。　　　　　〃Be　careful　what　you　say；〃　said　Royce　gruffly；　〃you'll　frighten　Miss　Armstrong。〃　　　　　〃I　hope　so；〃　said　the　man　with　the　clear　voice。　　　　　As　the　woman　winced　and　everyone　else　wondered；　he　went　on：　〃I　am　somewhat　used　to　Miss　Armstrong's　tremors。　　I　have　seen　her　trembling　off　and　on　for　years。　　And　some　said　she　was　shaking　with　cold　and　some　she　was　shaking　with　fear；　but　I　know　she　was　shaking　with　hate　and　wicked　angerfiends　that　have　had　their　feast　this　morning。　　She　would　have　been　away　by　now　with　her　lover　and　all　the　money　but　for　me。　　Ever　since　my　poor　old　master　prevented　her　from　marrying　that　tipsy　blackguard〃　　　　　〃Stop；〃　said　Gilder　very　sternly。　　〃We　have　nothing　to　do　with　your　family　fancies　or　suspicions。　　Unless　you　have　some　practical　evidence；　your　mere　opinions〃　　　　　〃Oh！　I'll　give　you　practical　evidence；〃　cut　in　Magnus；　in　his　hacking　accent。　　〃You'll　have　to　subpoena　me；　Mr。　Inspector；　and　I　shall　have　to　tell　the　truth。　　And　the　truth　is　this：　An　instant　after　the　old　man　was　pitched　bleeding　out　of　the　window；　I　ran　into　the　attic；　and　found　his　daughter　swooning　on　the　floor　with　a　red　dagger　still　in　her　hand。　　Allow　me　to　hand　that　also　to　the　proper　authorities。〃　　He　took　from　his　tail…pocket　a　long　horn…hilted　knife　with　a　red　smear　on　it；　and　handed　it　politely　to　the　sergeant。　　Then　he　stood　back　again；　and　his　slits　of　eyes　almost　faded　from　his　face　in　one　fat　Chinese　sneer。　　　　　Merton　felt　an　almost　bodily　sickness　at　the　sight　of　him；　and　he　muttered　to　Gilder：　〃Surely　you　would　take　Miss　Armstrong's　word　against　his？〃　　　　　Father　Brown　suddenly　lifted　a　face　so　absurdly　fresh　that　it　looked　somehow　as　if　he　had　just　washed　it。　　〃Yes；〃　he　said；　radiating　innocence；　〃but　is　Miss　Armstrong's　word　against　his？〃　　　　　The　girl　uttered　a　startled；　singular　little　cry；　everyone　looked　at　her。　　Her　figure　was　rigid　as　if　paralysed；　only　her　face　within　its　frame　of　faint　brown　hair　was　alive　with　an　appalling　surprise。　　She　stood　like　one　of　a　sudden　lassooed　and　throttled。　　　　　〃This　man；〃　said　Mr。　Gilder　gravely；　〃actually　says　that　you　were　found　grasping　a　knife；　insensible；　after　the　murder。〃　　　　　〃He　says　the　truth；〃　answered　Alice。　　　　　The　next　fact　of　which　they　were　conscious　was　that　Patrick　Royce　strode　with　his　great　stooping　head　into　their　ring　and　uttered　the　singular　words：　〃Well；　if　I've　got　to　go；　I'll　have　a　bit　of　pleasure　first。〃　　　　　His　huge　shoulder　heaved　and　he　sent　an　iron　fist　smash　into　Magnus's　bland　Mongolian　visage；　laying　him　on　the　lawn　as　flat　as　a　starfish。　　Two　or　three　of　the　police　instantly　put　their　hands　on　Royce；　but　to　the　rest　it　seemed　as　if　all　reason　had　broken　up　and　the　universe　were　turning　into　a　brainless　harlequinade。　　　　　〃None　of　that；　Mr。　Royce；〃　Gilder　had　called　out　authoritatively。　〃I　shall　arrest　you　for　assault。〃　　　　　〃No；　you　won't；〃　answered　the　secretary　in　a　voice　like　an　iron　gong；　〃you　will　arrest　me　for　murder。〃　　　　　Gilder　threw　an　alarmed　glance　at　the　man　knocked　down；　but　since　that　outraged　person　was　already　sitting　up　and　wiping　a　little　blood　off　a　substantially　uninjured　face；　he　only　said　shortly：　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　　　　　〃It　is　quite　true；　as　this　fellow　says；〃　explained　Royce；　〃that　Miss　Armstrong　fainted　with　a　knife　in　her　hand。　　But　she　had　not　snatched　the　knife　to　attack　her　father；　but　to　defend　him。〃　　　　　〃To　defend　him；〃　repeated　Gilder　gravely。　　〃Against　whom？〃　　　　　〃Against　me；〃　answered　the　secretary。　　　　　Alice　looked　at　him　with　a　complex　and　baffling　face；　then　she　said　in　a　low　voice：　〃After　it　all；　I　am　still　glad　you　are　brave。〃　　　　　〃Come　upstairs；〃　said　Patrick　Royce　heavily；　〃and　I　will　show　you　the　whole　cursed　thing。〃　　　　　The　attic；　which　was　the　secretary's　private　place　（and　rather　a　small　cell　for　so　large　a　hermit）；　had　indeed　all　the　vestiges　of　a　violent　drama。　　Near　the　centre　of　the　floor　lay　a　large　revolver　as　if　flung　away；　nearer　to　the　left　was　rolled　a　whisky　bottle；　open　but　not　quite　empty。　　The　cloth　of　the　little　table　lay　dragged　and　trampled；　and　a　length　of　cord；　like　that　found　on　the　corpse；　was　cast　wildly　across　the　windowsill。　　Two　vases　were　smashed　on　the　mantelpiece　and　one　on　the　carpet。　　　　　〃I　was　drunk；〃　said　Royce；　and　this　simplicity　in　the　prematurely　battered　man　somehow　had　the　pathos　of　the　first　sin　of　a　baby。　　　　　〃You　all　know　about　me；〃　he　continued　huskily；　〃everybody　knows　how　my　story　began；　and　it　may　as　well　end　like　that　too。　I　was　called　a　clever　man　once；　and　might　have　been　a　happy　one；　Armstrong　saved　the　remains　of　a　brain　and　body　from　the　taverns；　and　was　always　kind　to　me　in　his　own　way；　poor　fellow！　　Only　he　wouldn't　let　me　marry　Alice　here；　and　it　will　always　be　said　that　he　was　right　enough。　　Well；　you　can　form　your　own　conclusions；　and　you　won't　want　me　to　go　into　details。　　That　is　my　whisky　bottle　half　emptied　in　the　corner；　that　is　my　revolver　quite　emptied　on　the　carpet。　　It　was　the　rope　from　my　box　that　was　found　on　the　corpse；　and　it　was　from　my　window　the　corpse　was　thrown。　　You　need　not　set　detectives　to　grub　up　my　tragedy；　it　is　a　common　enough　weed　in　this　world。　　I　give　myself　to　the　gallows；　and；　by　God；　that　is　enough！〃　　　　　At　a　sufficiently　delicate　sign；　the　police　gathered　round　the　large　man　to　lead　him　away；　but　their　unobtrusiveness　was　somewhat　staggered　by　the　remarkable　appearance　of　Father　Brown；　who　was　on　his　hands　and　knees　on　the　carpet　in　the　doorway；　as　if　engaged　in　some　kind　of　undignified　prayers。　　Being　a　person　utterly　insensible　to　the　social　figure　he　cut；　he　remained　in　this　posture；　but　turned　a　bright　round　face　up　at　the　company；　presenting　the　appearance　of　a　quadruped　with　a　very　comic　human　head。　　　　　〃I　say；〃　he　said　good…naturedly；　〃this　really　won't　do　at　all；　you　know。　　At　the　beginning　you　said　we'd　found　no　weapon。　　But　now　we're　finding　too　many；　there's　the　knife　to　stab；　and　the　rope　to　strangle；　and　the　pistol　to　shoot；　and　after　all　he　broke　his　neck　by　falling　out　of　a　window！　　It　won't　do。　　It's　not　economical。〃　　And　he　shook　his　head　at　the　ground　as　a　horse　does　grazing。　　　　　Inspector　Gilder　had　opened　his　mouth　with　serious　intentions；　but　before　he　could　speak　the　grotesque　figure　on　the　floor　had　gone　on　quite　volubly。　　　　　〃And　now　three　quite　impossible　things。　　First；　these　holes　in　the　carpet；　where　the　six　bullets　have　gone　in。　　Why　on　earth　should　anybody　fire　at　the　carpet？　　A　drunken　man　lets　fly　at　his　enemy's　head；　the　thing　that's　grinning　at　him。　　He　doesn't　pick　a　quarrel　with　his　feet；　or　lay　siege　to　his　slippers。　　And　then　there's　the　rope〃and　having　done　with　the　carpet　the　speaker　lifted　his　hands　and　put　them　in　his　pocket；　but　continued　unaffectedly　on　his　knees〃in　what　conceivable　intoxication　would　anybody　try　to　put　a　rope　round　a　man's　neck　and　finally　put　it　round　his　leg？　　Royce；　anyhow；　was　not　so　drunk　as　that；　or　he　would　be　sleeping　like　a　log　by　now。　　And；　plainest　of　all；　the　whisky　bottle。　　You　suggest　a　dipsomaniac　fought　for　the　whisky　bottle；　and　then　having　won；　rolled　it　away　in　a　corner；　spilling　one　half　and　leaving　the　other。　　That　is　the　very　last　thing　a　dipsomaniac　would　do。〃　　　　　He　scrambled　awkwardly　to　his　feet；　and　said　to　the　self…accused　murderer　in　tones　of　limpid　penitence：　〃I'm　awfully　sorry；　my　dear　sir；　but　your　tale　is　really　rubbish。〃　　　　　〃Sir；〃　said　Alice　Armstrong　in　a　low　tone　to　the　priest；　〃can　I　speak　to　you　alone　for　a　moment？〃　　　　　This　request　forced　the　communicative　cleric　out　of　the　gangway；　and　before　he　could　speak　in　the　next　room；　the　girl　was　talking　with　strange　incisiveness。　　　　　〃You　are　a　clever　man；〃　she　said；　〃and　you　are　trying　to　save　Patrick；　I　know。　　But　it's　no　use。　　The　core　of　all　this　is　black；　and　the　more　thi