"It isn't a matter of money, sir," the man declared. "I daren't do it. I should be certain to be found out, and I should be sent away without a character." "I will take you into my service," Deane said. The man shook his head. "Thank you, sir," he said. "My character is worth a good deal to me. I think I'll keep out of this, if you don't mind." Deane called him back imperatively. "Let us understand one another," he said, drawing something from his pocket. "Are you going down to the manager to tell him what I have told you?" The man hesitated. Deane held out a five-pound note. "There is no reason for you to do so, you know," Deane said, "just as there is no reason why you should not accept this tip." The valet hesitated, and finally accepted the five-pound note which Deane was holding out. "I am sure I don't know why I should take it, sir," he said, "but there is no reason, after all, why I should say anything of what you have been talking about, downstairs." Deane sat in his chair, waiting. There was a knock at the door and a chambermaid entered, to retire at once in confusion. Deane looked at her curiously. Something in her figure and her start had seemed familiar to him. He got up and rang the bell. In a moment or two a waiter appeared. He was obviously a German, dark and sallow. He spoke imperfect English, and there was a gleam of cupidity in his eyes which to Deane seemed hopeful. "Bring me some tea at once," he ordered,--"nothing to eat." The man departed, and reappeared in a few minutes. "Anything else, sir?" he asked, after he had set down the tray. Deane did not answer him directly. "By the way," he said finally, "wasn't there a murder committed in one of these rooms?" "It was next door, sir," the man answered. "The room is locked up?" Deane asked. "Yes, sir!" "That is a pity," Deane remarked. "Do you know who has the key? I should very much like just to have a look around." The waiter shook his head. "The key is downstairs in Mr. Hartshorn's office, sir, and we have no duplicate here. The police who came, they desired that no one should enter the room until they had removed the effects to Scotland Yard." "So I was told downstairs," Deane remarked. "Do you suppose," he continued, "that it would be possible to get hold of a duplicate key? I should like very much to see the interior of that room--if possible to take a photograph of it for my newspaper. I am willing to pay." The waiter shook his head reluctantly. "I do not think that there is a duplicate key," he said, with his eyes fixed upon Deane's right hand. "Perhaps you could make inquiries," Deane suggested smoothly. "I want to get a photograph of the inside of the room for my people, if possible. It would be worth quite a great deal of money." The man was impressed. "I will go away and see," he said slowly. "Keep this to yourself," Deane ordered. "I don't want it all over the hotel."