"It wasn't with regard to Mr. Ottershaw's cremation." "We did what we considered to be right, and I refuse to discuss that question. For my own part, I believe if James Sims could be forced to speak the mystery would be at an end. I cannot help feeling that the police have failed in their duty by not having him arrested." "I daresay that is a question my friend Detective Wigan will refuse to discuss," said the professor. "Do you care to hear my conditions? You can talk them over with your brother and sister when you consider whether I shall be allowed to go over the house or not." "I shall be glad to know your fee," said Bryant. For a moment I thought that Quarles was going to lose his temper. "I charge no fee," he said quietly, after a momentary pause; "but if the money is found through me, you must give ten per cent. for the benefit of imbeciles according to the wish of the deceased, and you must pay me ten per cent. That will leave eighty per cent. for you to divide." "Preposterous!" Bryant exclaimed. "As you like. Those are my conditions, and I must receive with the permission to visit the house a properly witnessed document, showing that the three of you agree to my terms." "I am afraid you will wait in vain." "It is your affair," said Quarles, with a shrug of his shoulders. "Remember I can find the money, and I believe I am the only man who can." On our way back to town I asked Quarles whether he expected to get the permission. "Certainly I do. George Bryant is too greedy for money to miss such a chance." "And do you really mean that you can find the money?" "At any rate, I mean the Bryants to pay heavily for it if I do." Quarles was right. Three days later the permit and the required document arrived, and we went to Norbiton. As I had visited the house already, I was prepared to act as guide to the professor, but he showed only a feeble interest in the house itself. The only room he examined with any minuteness was the bedroom Mr. Ottershaw had used, and he seemed mainly to be proving to his own satisfaction that certain possibilities which had occurred to him were not probabilities. "There's a ten per cent. reward hanging to this, Wigan," he chuckled. "We're out to make money on this occasion. Bryant seems to have spoken the truth. The place appears to be much as Mr. Ottershaw left it." He had opened a cupboard in the bedroom, and took up two or three pairs of boots to look at. "Large feet, hadn't he? Went in for comfort rather than elegance. I never saw uglier boots. But they are well made, nothing cheap about them." "You don't expect to find the money in his boots, do you?" "Never heard of hollow heels, Wigan?" he asked. "You couldn't hide much money if every boot in the house had a hollow heel." "No, true. I wasn't thinking of hollow heels particularly." Then he took up a stout walking-stick which was standing in the corner of the cupboard, felt its weight, and walked across the room with it to try it.