“He called himself Crimson Circle,” he said slowly, “because it was a name he had amongst his fellow convicts. About his neck was a red birth-mark--and I’ll blow the top of your head off if you move!” The heavy calibre Webley he held in his hand covered Derrick Yale. “Put your hands right up!” said the inspector, and then suddenly he reached out his hand and tore away the high white collar which covered Yale’s neck. There was a gasp. Red, blood-red, as though it were painted by human agency, a circle of crimson ran about the throat of Derrick Yale. Chapter XLII. Mother In the room three men had mysteriously appeared--the three who had captured Parr’s spy two nights before--and in a second Yale was manacled hand and foot. A deft hand jerked the pistol that he carried from his pocket, a third man dropped a cloth bag over his head and face, and he was hurried from the room. Inspector Parr wiped the perspiration from his streaming forehead, and faced his amazed audience. “Gentlemen,” he said a little shakily, “if you will excuse me for to-night I will tell you the whole of this story to-morrow.” They surrounded him, plying him with questions, but he could only shake his head. “He’s had a very bad time,” it was the colonel’s voice, “and nobody knows it better than I. I should be very glad, Prime Minister, if you could accede to the inspector’s request, and allow the further explanation to stand over until to-morrow.” “Perhaps the inspector will lunch with us,” said the Premier, and his Commissioner accepted on Parr’s behalf. Gripping Jack’s arm Parr marched from the room and into the street. A taxi-cab was awaiting him and he bundled the young man in. “I feel that I’ve been dreaming,” said Jack when he had found his voice. “Derrick Yale! Impossible! And yet----” “Oh, it is possible all right,” said the inspector with a little laugh. “Then he and Thalia Drummond were working together?” “Exactly,” was the reply. “But, inspector, how did you get on to this story?” “Mother put me on to it,” was the unexpected answer. “You don’t realise what a clever old lady mother is. She told me to-night----” “Then she’s come back?” “Yes, she’s come back,” said the inspector. “I want you to meet her. She’s a bit dogmatic, and she is inclined to argue, but I always let her have her way in that respect.” “And you may be sure I shall, too,” laughed Jack, though he did not feel like laughing. “You really believe that the Crimson Circle is in your hands?” “I am sure of it,” said the inspector. “As sure as I’m sitting in this taxi-cab with you, and as sure as I am that grandmother is the wisest old lady in the world.” Jack maintained a silence until they were turning into the avenue. “Then this means that Thalia is dragged a little lower?” he said quietly. “If this man Yale is, as you believe, the Crimson Circle, he will not spare her.”