“If they didn’t murder your father, they know who did!” exclaimed Spargo. “Now, then, it’s time for more action. Let Elphick and Cardlestone alone for the moment—they’ll be tracked easily enough. I want to tackle something else for the moment. How do you get an authority from the Government to open a grave?” “Order from the Home Secretary, which will have to be obtained by showing the very strongest reasons why it should be made.” “Good! We’ll give the reasons. I want to have a grave opened.” “A grave opened! Whose grave?” “The grave of the man Chamberlayne at Market Milcaster,” replied Spargo. Breton started. “His? In Heaven’s name, why?” he demanded. Spargo laughed as he got up. “Because I believe it’s empty,” he answered. “Because I believe that Chamberlayne is alive, and that his other name is—Cardlestone!” CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE THE PENITENT WINDOW-CLEANER That afternoon Spargo had another of his momentous interviews with his proprietor and his editor. The first result was that all three drove to the offices of the legal gentleman who catered for the _Watchman_ when it wanted any law, and that things were put in shape for an immediate application to the Home Office for permission to open the Chamberlayne grave at Market Milcaster; the second was that on the following morning there appeared in the _Watchman_ a notice which set half the mouths of London a-watering. That notice; penned by Spargo, ran as follows:— “ONE THOUSAND POUNDS REWARD. “WHEREAS, on some date within the past twelve months, there was stolen, abstracted, or taken from the chambers in Fountain Court, Temple, occupied by Mr. Stephen Aylmore, M.P., under the name of Mr. Anderson, a walking-stick, or stout staff, of foreign make, and of curious workmanship, which stick was probably used in the murder of John Marbury, or Maitland, in Middle Temple Lane, on the night of June 21–22 last, and is now in the hands of the police: “This is to give notice that the Proprietor of the _Watchman_ newspaper will pay the above-mentioned reward (ONE THOUSAND POUNDS STERLING) at once and in cash to whosoever will prove that he or she stole, abstracted, or took away the said stick from the said chambers, and will further give full information as to his or her disposal of the same, and the Proprietor of the _Watchman_ moreover engages to treat any revelation affecting the said stick in the most strictly private and confidential manner, and to abstain from using it in any way detrimental to the informant, who should call at the _Watchman_ office, and ask for Mr. Frank Spargo at any time between eleven and one o’clock midday, and seven and eleven o’clock in the evening.” “And you really expect to get some information through that?” asked Breton, who came into Spargo’s room about noon on the day on which the promising announcement came out. “You really do?”