Mr. Dobb descended from the doorway quickly enough then. Resting a fat hand on the rail of the dash-board, he looked up into Walker's red face. The scrutiny was not friendly. He was sure that the junior member of the firm of Walker & Son had been drinking. "Do you know what you are talking about?" he said, sternly. Walker leaned down, until his ferret eyes peered closely into those of the angry solicitor. "That's why I'm here, sir," he said, with the utmost deference of manner. "Of course, I'm aware that you represent the family--at any rate, with regard to the Elmdale property--and when Miss Meg herself said that her father was alive, and flew into a rage when I ventured to correct her, what was I to think? I admit I was knocked all of a heap, and may have put things rather bluntly, but there cannot be the slightest doubt as to what she meant. More than that, her cousin, Mr. Robert Armathwaite, bore out her statement, and got so mad with me for stickin' to it that Mr. Garth had committed suicide, that we almost came to blows." Walker was quite sober--the solicitor had no doubt on that score now. Perhaps vague memories stirred in the shrewd, legal mind, and recalled certain curious discrepancies he had noted in events already passing into the limbo of forgetfulness. He, too, looked to right and left, lest some keen-eared citizen should have crept up unobserved. "Can't you take your trap to the stable and come back here?" he asked, thereby admitting that Walker's breach of decorum was condoned. "That's really what I had in mind, sir. I was afraid you might have left the office before I was at liberty, as I have a few matters to attend to when I reach our own place, and I didn't want to intrude by callin' at your house." Dobb was watching him critically, and was evidently becoming more puzzled each moment. "I need hardly tell you that you are bringing a very serious charge against someone," he said at last. "No, that I'm not!" cried Walker emphatically. "I'm just telling you the plain facts. It's not my business to bring charges. I thought, in reality, that I was doing someone a good turn by comin' straight to you; but, if you don't agree, Mr. Dobb----" "No, no, I didn't mean my remark in that sense," explained the solicitor hastily, not without a disagreeable feeling that this perky young auctioneer seemed to know exactly what he was about. "I only wanted you to understand that grave issues may be bound up with an extraordinary story of this nature. Look here! I'm busy now. Will you be free at six o'clock?" "Yes, sir." "Well, come to my house, and we'll discuss matters fully. You say you saw and spoke to Miss Meg herself?" "Oh, yes, sir! No mistake. I've known her all my life." "Very well, then. Don't be later than six. I have some people coming to dinner at seven."