'Baltic is not, George. He is quite a new type of detective, and works rather from a religious than a judicial point of view.' 'I never heard of a religious detective before,' remarked George, scornfully. 'Nor I; it is a new departure, and I am not sure but that it is a good one, incongruous as it may seem.' 'Is the man a hypocrite?' 'By no means. He is thoroughly in earnest. Here, in public, he calls himself a missionary.' 'Oh! oh! the wolf in the skin of a sheep!' 'Not at all. The man is--well, it is no use my explaining, as you will see him shortly, and then can judge for yourself. But if you will take my advice, George, you will let Baltic figure the matter out on his own slate, as the Americans say. Don't mention his name or actual business to anyone. Believe me, I know what I am talking about.' 'Very well,' grumbled George, convinced by Harry's earnestness, but by no means pleased to be condemned to an interval of ignorance and inactivity. 'I shall hold my tongue and close my eyes. But you agree with me that Gabriel did not kill the brute?' 'Of course! From the first I never had any doubts on that score.' Here for the time being the conversation ended, and George went his way to play the part of a careless onlooker. But for his promise, he would have warned Gabriel of the danger which threatened him, and probably have complicated matters by premature anger. Luckily for all things, his faith in Brace's good sense was strong enough to deter him from so rash and headlong a course; therefore, at home and abroad, he assumed a gaiety he did not feel. So here in the episcopalian palace of Beorminster were three people, each one masking his real feelings in intercourse with the others. The bishop, his son and his scheming chaplain were actors in a comedy of life which--in the opinion of the last--might easily end up as a tragedy. No wonder their behaviour was constrained, no wonder they avoided one another. They were as men living over a powder magazine which the least spark would explode with thunderous noise and damaging effect.