“Well, sir, it isn’t my business to determine the cause of death,” the inspector explained, unbending slightly before the other’s obvious interest. “That’s the coroner’s job. All I have to do is to assemble all the available evidence that I can find, however trivial it may seem. Then I lay it before him, and he directs the jury accordingly. That is the correct procedure.” Roger retired into the background. “I said there weren’t any flies on this bird,” he muttered to Alec, who had been a silent but none the less interested spectator of the proceedings. “That’s the third time he’s wiped the floor with me.” “By the way, sir,” the inspector was saying to Doctor Matthewson, “I take it that as Lady Stanworth sent for you, you have been called in here before since they arrived?” “That’s right, Inspector,” nodded the doctor. “Mr. Stanworth called me in himself. He had a slight attack of hay fever.” “Ah!” remarked the inspector with interest. “And I suppose you examined him more or less.” The doctor smiled faintly. He was remembering a somewhat strenuous half hour he had spent with his patient in this very room. “As a matter of fact, I examined him very thoroughly indeed. At his own request, of course. He said that it was the first time he had seen a doctor for fifteen years, and he’d like to be properly overhauled while he was about it.” “And how did you find him?” the inspector asked with interest. “Anything much wrong with him? Heart, or anything like that?” “See what he’s getting at?” Roger whispered to Alec. “Wants to find out if he was suffering from any incurable disease that might have led to suicide.” “There was nothing wrong with him at all,” the doctor said with finality. “He was as sound as the proverbial bell. In fact, for a man of his years he was in a really remarkably healthy condition.” “Oh!” The inspector was clearly a little disappointed. “Well, what about this safe, then?” “The safe?” Major Jefferson repeated in startled tones. “Yes, sir; I think I should like to have a look at the contents, if you please. They may throw some light on the affair.” “But—but——” Major Jefferson hesitated, and it seemed to the interested Roger that his usually impassive face showed traces of real alarm. “But is that necessary?” he asked more calmly. “There may be private papers in there of a highly confidential nature. Not that I know anything about it,” he added somewhat hastily; “but Mr. Stanworth was always exceedingly reticent about the contents.” “All the more reason for us to have a look at them, sir,” returned the inspector dryly. “As for anything confidential, that will of course go no farther. That is, unless there is some excellent reason to the contrary,” he added darkly. Still Jefferson hesitated. “Of course, if you insist,” he said slowly, “there is no more to be said. Still, it seems highly unnecessary to me, I must say.”