"Seems to me, Simon, I've had all the trouble," said Gebb, dryly. "You've sat in your armchair and done nothing." "I've found out the truth, if you call that nothing!" retorted Parge, growing red. "I've used my brains, which is more than you have done. There is life in the old dog yet, Absalom!" "And temper also," rejoined Gebb, who was rather sore about the reward "Eh, Simon? Well! well! We'll argue the matter hereafter. I must go to Alder." "Don't forget to take Basson!" "No, I won't. But if you are right about Alder, you are wrong about Dean; he did not kill Kirkstone." "Then who did?" grunted Parge, rather displeased. "Miss Gilmar herself!" retorted Gebb, and departed swiftly, leaving to his friend this--to him--indigestible morsel. Parge raged a trifle after Gebb had gone, as he did not like to be put in the wrong; but when he recollected his triumph in the new murder case, he was quite content to set it against his failure in the old one. So he sat placidly in his armchair, and enjoyed his success, and the prospect of getting two hundred pounds with so little trouble. All of which was satisfactory to his wife also; as it kept Parge in a good temper for one entire day, a state of things which was little less than miraculous in that frequently disturbed household. In the mean time Gebb, with a desperate fear in his heart that he might be too late, went as quick as a hansom could travel to Basson's rooms. Keeping the cab at the door, he ran up the long staircase so quickly that he arrived at the top with failing breath and beating heart. The perennial legend, "Back in five minutes," was still on the barrister's door, and Gebb on knocking was again greeted by the boy in the small suit. This latter admitted that his master was at home, but stated that he could not be seen. "'Cos he ain't well," explained Cerberus; "he's had a shock!" "What kind of a shock? An accident?" asked Gebb. "No," replied the boy, after some consideration, "not that sort of shock. Quite another kind." "Well, I'm sorry to disturb Mr. Basson," said Gebb, "but you must take him my card and tell him that I must see him. It's a matter of life and death." The boy still seemed unwilling, but Gebb thrust the card into his hand, and insisted; so in the end it was taken to Basson. In less than a minute Cerberus returned with the information that his master would see Mr. Gebb at once. With a nod the detective stepped into the dingy inner office, and found Mr. Basson with his arms on the mantelpiece, and his head bent down on them in an attitude of dejection. When he heard the footstep of his visitor--and firm, quick, business-like footsteps they were--he turned slowly, and displayed a very pale face and eyes so red that they looked as though he had been crying. "What is the matter?" asked Gebb, rather taken aback by this evidence of grief. "I've had a shock," replied Basson, using the very same words as his small clerk had done. "Nothing serious, I hope?"