n　charge　of　the　investigations　concerning　these　two　murders；　he　will　see　me。〃
  The　young　man　was　disposed　to　consider　the　point。
  〃Well；〃　he　remarked；　〃the　chief　does　seem　plaguy　interested；　all　of　a　sudden。　I'll　pass　your　name　in。　If　you　take　a　seat；　it's　just　possible　that　he　may　spare　you　a　minute　or　two　in　about　an　hour's　time。　He　won't　be　able　to　before　then；　I'm　sure。　There's　a　deputation　almost　due；　and　two　other　appointments　before　luncheon　time。〃
  The　Inspector　accepted　a　newspaper　and　an　easy　chair。　His　young　friend　disappeared　and　returned　almost　immediately；　looking　a　little　surprised。
  〃I've　managed　it　for　you；〃　he　explained。　〃The　chief　is　going　to　spare　you　five　minutes　at　once。　Come　along　and　I'll　show　you　in。〃
  Inspector　Jacks　took　up　his　hat　and　followed　his　acquaintance　to　the　private　room　of　the　Home　Secretary。　That　personage　nodded　to　him　upon　his　entrance　and　continued　to　dictate　a　letter。　When　he　had　finished；　he　sent　his　clerk　out　of　the　room　and；　motioning　Mr。　Jacks　to　take　a　seat　by　his　side；　leaned　back　in　his　own　chair　with　the　air　of　one　prepared　to　relax　for　a　moment。　He　was　a　man　of　somewhat　insignificant　presence；　but　he　had　keen　gray　eyes；　half　the　time　concealed　under　thick　eyebrows；　and　flashing　out　upon　you　now　and　then　at　least　expected　moments。
  〃From　Scotland　Yard；　I　understand；　Mr。　Jacks？〃　he　remarked。
  〃At　your　service；　sir；〃　the　Inspector　answered。　〃I　am　in　charge　of　the　investigations　concerning　these　two　recent　murders。〃
  〃Quite　so；〃　the　Home　Secretary　remarked。　〃I　am　very　glad　to　meet　you；　Mr。　Jacks。　So　far；　I　suppose；　you　are　willing　to　admit　that　you　gentlemen　down　at　Scotland　Yard　have　not　exactly　distinguished　yourselves。〃
  〃We　are　willing　to　admit　that；〃　Inspector　Jacks　said。
  〃I　do　not　know　whether　the　reward　will　help　you　very　much；〃　the　Home　Secretary　continued。　〃So　far　as　you　people　personally　are　concerned；　I　imagine　that　it　will　make　no　difference。　The　only　point　seems　to　be　that　it　may　bring　you　outside　help　which　at　the　present　time　is　being　withheld。〃
  〃The　offering　of　the　reward；　sir；〃　Inspector　Jacks　said；　〃can　do　no　harm；　and　it　may　possibly　assist　us　very　materially。〃
  〃I　am　glad　to　have　your　opinion；　Mr。　Jacks；〃　the　Home　Secretary　said。
  There　was　a　moment's　pause。　The　Minister　trifled　with　some　papers　lying　on　the　desk　before　him。　Then　he　turned　to　his　visitor　and　continued；
  〃You　will　forgive　my　reminding　you；　Mr。　Jacks；　that　I　am　a　busy　man　and　that　this　is　a　busy　morning。　You　had　some　reason；　I　presume；　for　wishing　to　see　me？〃
  〃I　had；　sir；〃　the　Inspector　answered。　〃I　took　the　liberty　of　waiting　upon　you；　sir；　to　ask　whether　the　idea　of　a　reward　for　so　large　a　sum　came　spontaneously　from　your　department？〃
  The　Home　Secretary　raised　his　eyebrows。
  〃Really；　Mr。　Jacks；〃　he　began；
  〃I　hope；　sir；〃　the　Inspector　protested；　〃that　you　will　not　think　I　am　asking　this　question　through　any　irrelevant　curiosity。　I　am　beginning　to　form　a　theory　of　my　own　as　to　these　two　murders；　but　it　needs　building　up。　The　offering　of　a　reward　like　this；　if　it　emanates　from　the　source　which　I　suspect　that　it　does；　gives　a　solid　foundation　to　my　theories。　I　am　here；　sir；　in　the　interests　of　justice　only；　and　I　should　be　exceedingly　obliged　to　you　if　you　would　tell　me　whether　the　suggestion　of　this　large　reward　did　not　come　from　the　Foreign　Office？〃
  The　Minister　considered　for　several　moments；　and　then　slowly　inclined　his　head。
  〃Mr。　Jacks；〃　he　said；　〃your　question　appears　to　me　to　be　a　pertinent　one。　I　see　not　the　slightest　reason　to　conceal　from　you　the　fact　that　your　surmise　is　perfectly　accurate。〃
  A　flash　of　satisfaction　illuminated　for　a　moment　the　detective's　inexpressive　features。　He　rose　and　took　up　his　hat。
  〃I　am　very　much　obliged　to　you；　sir；〃　he　said。　〃The　information　which　you　have　given　me　is　extremely　valuable。〃
  〃I　am　glad　to　hear　you　say　so；〃　the　Home　Secretary　declared。　〃You　understand；　of　course；　that　it　is　within　the　province　of　my　department　to　assist　at　all　times　and　in　any　possible　way　the　course　of　justice。　Is　there　anything　more　I　can　do　for　you？〃
  Inspector　Jacks　hesitated。
  〃If　you　would　not　think　it　a　liberty；　sir；〃　he　said；　〃I　should　be　very　glad　indeed　if　you　would　give　me　a　note　which　would　insure　me　an　interview　with　Sir　Edward　Bransome。〃
  〃I　will　give　it　you　with　pleasure；〃　the　Secretary　answered；　〃although　I　imagine　that　he　would　be　quite　willing　to　see　you　on　your　own　request。〃
  He　wrote　a　few　lines　and　passed　them　over。　Inspector　Jacks　saluted；　and　turned　towards　the　door。
  〃You'll　let　me　know　if　anything　turns　up？〃　the　Home　Secretary　said。
  〃You　shall　be　informed　at　once；　sir；〃　the　Inspector　assured　him；　a　as　he　left　the　room。
  Sir　Edward　Bransome　was　just　leaving　his　house　when　Inspector　Jacks　entered　the　gate。　The　latter；　who　knew　him　by　sight；　saluted　and　hesitated　for　a　moment。
  〃Did　you　wish　to　speak　to　me？〃　Sir　Edward　asked；　drawing　back　from　the　step　of　his　electric　brougham。
  The　Inspector　held　out　his　letter。　Sir　Edward　tore　it　open　and　glanced　through　the　few　lines　which　it　contained。　Then　he　looked　keenly　for　a　moment　at　the　man　who　stood　respectfully　by　his　side。
  〃So　you　are　Inspector　Jacks　from　Scotland　Yard；〃　he　remarked。
  〃At　your　service；　sir；〃　the　detective　answered。
  〃You　can　get　in　with　me；　if　you　like；〃　Sir　Edward　continued；　motioning　toward　the　interior　of　his　brougham。　〃I　am　due　in　Downing　Street　now；　but　I　dare　say　you　could　say　what　you　wish　to　on　the　way　there。〃
  〃Certainly；　sir；〃　Inspector　Jacks　answered。　〃It　will　be　very　good　of　you　indeed　if　you　can　spare　me　those　few　minutes。〃
  The　brougham　glided　away。
  〃Now；　Mr。　Jacks；〃　Sir　Edward　said；　〃what　can　I　do　for　you？　If　you　want　to　arrest　me；　I　shall　claim　privilege。〃
  The　Inspector　smiled。
  〃I　am　in　charge；　sir；〃　he　said；　〃of　the　investigations　concerning　the　murder　of　Mr。　Hamilton　Fynes　and　Mr。　Richard　Vanderpole。　The　news　of　the　reward　came　to　us　at　Scotland　Yard　this　morning。　Its　unusual　amount　led　me　to　make　some　injuries　at　the　Home　Office。　I　found　that　what　I　partly　expected　was　true。　I　found；　sir；　that　your　department　has　shown　some　interest　in　the　apprehension　of　these　two　men。〃
  Sir　Edward　inclined　his　head　slowly。
  〃Well？〃　he　said。
  〃Sir　Edward　Bransome；〃　the　Inspector　continued；　〃I　have　a　theory　of　my　own　as　to　these　murders；　and　though　it　may　take　me　some　time　to　work　it　out；　I　feel　myself　day　by　day　growing　nearer　the　truth。　These　were　not　ordinary　crimes。　Any　one　can　see　that。　They　were　not　even　crimes　for　the　purpose　of　robberynot；　that　is　to　say；　for　robbery　in　the　ordinary　sense　of　the　word。　That　is　apparent　even　to　those　who　write　for　the　Press。　It　has　been　apparent　to　us　from　the　first。　It　is　beginning　to　dawn　upon　me　now　what　the　nature　of　the　motive　must　be　which　was　responsible　for　them。　I　have　in　my　possession　a　slight；　a　very　slight　clue。　The　beginning　of　it　is　there；　and　the　end。　It　is　the　way　between　which　is　tangled。〃
  Sir　Edward　lit　a　cigarette　and　leaned　back　amongst　the　cushions。　　With　a　little　gesture　he　indicated　his　desire　that　Inspector　Jacks　should　proceed。
  〃My　object　in　seeking　for　a　personal　interview　with　you；　sir；〃　Inspector　Jacks　continued；　〃is　to　ask　you　a　somewhat　peculiar　question。　If　I　find　that　my　investigations　lead　me　in　the　direction　which　at　present　seems　probable；　it　is　no　ordinary　person　whom　I　shall　have　to　arrest　when　the　time　comes。　The　reward　which　has　been　offered　is　a　large　one；　and　it　is　not　for　me　to　question　the　bona　fide　nature　of　it。　I　would　not　presume；　sir；　even　to　ask　you　whether　it　was　offered　by　reason　of　any　outside　pressure；　but　there　is　one　question　which　I　must　ask。　Do　you　really　wish；　sir；　that　the　murderer　or　murderers　of　these　two　men　shall　be　brought　to　justice？〃
  Sir　Edward　looked　at　his　companion　in　steadfast　amazement。
  〃My　dear　Inspector；〃　he　said；　〃what　is　this　that　you　have　in　your　mind？　I　hold　no　brief　for　any　man　capable　of　such　crimes　as　these。　Representations　have　been　made　to　us　by　the　American　Government　that　the　murder　of　two　of　her　citizens　within　the　course　of　twenty…four　hours；　and　the　absence　of　any　arrest；　is　somewhat　of　a　reflection　upon　our　police　service。　It　is　for　your　assistance；　and　in　compliment　to　our　friends　across　the　Atlantic；　that　the　reward　was　offered。〃
  Inspector　Jacks　seemed　a　little　at　a　loss。
  〃It　is　your　wish；　then；　sir；〃　he　said　slowly；　〃that　the　guilty　person　or　persons　be　arrested　without　warning；　whoever　they　may　be？〃
  〃By　all　means；〃　Sir　Edward　affirmed。　〃I　cannot　conceive；　Inspector；　what　you　have　in　your　mind　which　could　have　led　you　for　a　moment　to　suspect　the　contrary。〃
  The　brougham　had　come　to　a　standstill　in　front　of　a　house　in　Downing　street。　Inspector　Jacks　descended　slowly。　It　was　hard　for　him　to　decide　on　the　spot　how　far　to　take　into　his　confidence　a　person　whose　attitude　was　so　unsympathetic。
  〃I　am　exceedingly　obliged　to　you　for　your　answer　to　my　question；　sir；〃　he　said；　saluting。　〃I　hope　that　in　a　few　days　we　shall　have　some　news　for　you。〃
  Sir　Edward　watched　him　disappear　as　he　mounted　the　steps　of　the　Prime　Minister's　house。
  〃I　wonder；〃　he　said　to　himself　thoughtfully；　〃what　that　fellow　can　have　in　his　mind！〃
  Inspector　Jacks　did　not　at　once　retur