"A well-known story!" answered the old man half-impatiently, as he rose from his chair. "An ancestor of these Chestermarkes--he killed a man in that very room. Well--that's what I suggest, Mr. Polke. And--for another reason. As Lord Ellersdeane there knows--being, as his lordship is, a member of our society--the bank-house is so old that underneath it there may be such matters as old wells, old drains. Now, supposing Horbury had discovered some way under the present house, some secret passage or something, and that he went down into it on Sunday--eh? He may have fallen into one of these places--and be lying there dead or helpless. It's possible, Mr. Polke, it's quite possible. I make the suggestion to you for what it's worth, you know." The old man bowed himself out and went away, and Polke turned to Lord Ellersdeane and Betty. "I'm glad your lordship's come in," he said. "Quite apart from what Mr. Batterley suggests, we'll have to examine that bank-house. It's all nonsense--allowing the Chestermarkes to have their own way about everything! It's time we examined Horbury's effects." Starmidge turned to Betty. "Did you succeed in getting in there, Miss Fosdyke?" he asked. "No!" replied Betty. "Mr. Joseph Chestermarke absolutely refused me admittance, and his uncle told me to go to a solicitor." "Good advice, certainly," remarked Polke drily. "You'd better take it, miss. But what's Mr. Neale doing here?" "Mr. Neale," said the Earl, "has just been summarily dismissed for--to put it plainly--taking sides with Miss Fosdyke and myself." "Ho, ho!" exclaimed Polke. "Ah! Well, my lord, there's only one thing to be done, and as your lordship's in town, let us do it at once." "What?" asked the Earl. "You must come with me before the borough magistrates--they're sitting now," said Polke, "and make application for a search-warrant. Your lordship will have to swear that you have lost your jewels, and that you have good cause to believe that they may be on the premises occupied lately by Mr. Horbury, to whose care you entrusted them. It's a mere matter of form--we shall get the warrant at once. Then Starmidge and I will go and execute it. Miss Fosdyke--just do what I suggest, if you please. Mr. Neale will take you to Mr. Pellworthy, the solicitor--he was your uncle's solicitor, and a friend of his. Tell him all about your visit to the bank this morning. Say that you insist, as next-of-kin, on having access to your uncle's belongings. Get Mr. Pellworthy to go with you to the bank. Meet Detective-Sergeant Starmidge and me outside there, in, say, half an hour. Then--we'll see what happens. Now, my lord, if you'll come with me, we'll apply for that search-warrant." As the Scarnham clocks were striking twelve that morning, Gabriel and Joseph Chestermarke looked up from their desks to see Shirley's eyes, large with excitement, gazing at them from the threshold of their private parlour. "Well?" demanded the senior partner.