"But it does not prove, you dog, that no person came up the stairs during my absence!" Abel Death fell back, confounded. "Upon my return a few minutes ago I examined the stairs, and found only two of the eight pieces of paper I deposited there so carefully--so very carefully! Six pieces of the eight I placed there had affixed themselves to the soles of the shoes or boots worn by the person who entered this room while I was away. I asked you if any one had called. You answered no. It was a lie, a deliberate lie, a lie not to be explained away." "If you will listen to me, sir," said Abel Death, reduced to a state of abject fear, "I think it _can_ be explained away." "I am listening, Abel Death." "I made a mistake, sir--I confess it." "Oh, a mistake, and by such a clever man as you are!" "I am not clever, sir--far from it. Every man is liable to error. A person _has_ been in this room, but I did not open the door to him. He opened it himself." "What!" cried Mr. Boyd, starting from his chair in mingled anger and alarm. "Yes, sir, he opened it himself. How could I help that, sir--I ask you, how could I help that?" A few moments elapsed before Mr. Boyd spoke; and during the silence he took a revolver from a drawer, which he unlocked for the purpose. Then he said slowly, "Who was the man?" "Your son, sir, Mr. Reginald." "My son! He was forbidden the house!" "I can't help that, sir. He knocked three times at the street door, and bearing your instructions in mind I did not answer the knocks. When he came into the room I asked him how he had got in, and he produced the key he was in the habit of using when he lived here. He wanted to see you, and I told him you were not in. He said he would wait, and I begged him not to, because I knew you would be angry if you saw him here. Then he said he would call to see you later, and I begged him not to mention that he had been here; he gave me the promise and left the house. That is the whole truth of the matter, sir." "Why were you so anxious that this visit should be kept a secret from me?" "I feared you might suspect that we were in--in----" He could not hit upon the right word. "In collusion," said Mr. Boyd, supplying it in accordance with his humour to place the worst construction upon the interview. "In league to rob me. A fair and reasonable suspicion which the explanation I have dragged out of you does not remove. Have you anything more to say?" "Nothing more," replied Abel Death, in a hopeless tone. "Take up your money. You can go." "But you will withdraw the discharge, sir--I entreat you to withdraw it. Think what it means to me--what it means to my family! Starvation, sir, starvation!" He wrung his hands in despair. "You have lied deliberately to me. Go--go and starve!--and never set foot inside this house again."