Produced by Steven desJardins and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This book was produced from scanned images of public domain material from the Google Print project.) CHRISTOPHER QUARLES College Professor and Master Detective BY PERCY JAMES BREBNER AUTHOR OF "PRINCESS MARITZA," "THE LITTLE GREY SHOE," ETC., ETC. [Illustration] NEW YORK E. P. DUTTON & COMPANY 681 FIFTH AVENUE PUBLISHERS COPYRIGHT, 1914, BY E. P. DUTTON & COMPANY Press of J. J. Little & Ives Co. New York CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. THE AFFAIR OF THE IVORY BOXES 1 II. THE IDENTITY OF THE FINAL VICTIM 17 III. THE RIDDLE OF THE CIRCULAR COUNTERS 32 IV. THE STRANGE CASE OF MICHAEL HALL 48 V. THE EVIDENCE OF THE CIGARETTE-END 67 VI. THE MYSTERY OF "OLD MRS. JARDINE" 86 VII. THE DEATH-TRAP IN THE TUDOR ROOM 102 VIII. THE MYSTERY OF CROSS ROADS FARM 120 IX. THE CONUNDRUM OF THE GOLF LINKS 137 X. THE DIAMOND NECKLACE SCANDAL 156 XI. THE DISAPPEARANCE OF DR. SMITH 175 XII. THE AFFAIR OF THE STOLEN GOLD 195 XIII. THE WILL OF THE ECCENTRIC MR. FRISBY 217 XIV. THE CASE OF THE MURDERED FINANCIER 239 XV. THE STRANGE AFFAIR OF THE FLORENTINE CHEST 258 XVI. THE SEARCH FOR THE MISSING FORTUNE 280 CHRISTOPHER QUARLES CHAPTER I THE AFFAIR OF THE IVORY BOXES There was a substantial aspect about Blenheim Square, not of that monotonous type which characterizes so many London squares, but a certain grace and consciousness of well-being. The houses, though maintaining some uniformity, possessed individuality, and in the season were gay with window-boxes and flowers; the garden in the center was not too stereotyped in its arrangement, and plenty of sunlight found its way into it. The inhabitants were people of ample means, and the address was undoubtedly a good one. There was no slum in close proximity, that seamy background which so constantly lies behind a fair exterior of life; it was seldom that any but respectable people were seen in the square, for hawkers and itinerant musicians were forbidden; and, beyond a wedding or a funeral at intervals, nothing exciting ever seemed to happen there. It looked particularly attractive when I entered it one spring morning early and made my way to No. 12. As I approached the house and noted that the square was still asleep, an old gentleman, clad in a long and rather rusty overcoat, shuffled toward me from the opposite direction. He wore round goggles behind which his eyes looked unusually large, and a wide-awake hat was drawn over his silver locks.