"Suppose," he kept saying to himself over and over again, "Silwood is not dead. If he is not dead, what does that imply? Does it mean that there is some conspiracy, a conspiracy in which the Eversleighs are involved?" Gale pondered deeply. He had the feeling that somehow he was on the verge of a great discovery; but, as he thought still further, he was not so sure. It seemed absurd to connect the Eversleighs with anything of the sort. Finally, he came to a decision. Rising from his chair, he pressed an electric bell, and told a man who instantly appeared in answer to his call to ask Mr. Gilbert Eversleigh to step into the room. Gilbert, expecting that the coroner had been heard from, came in eagerly. "The coroner?" he asked. "No, Mr. Gilbert. I wished you to tell me again the name of the place in Italy where Mr. Silwood died." "Camajore, in the province of Tuscany--it is in the north of Italy, on the west coast or a few miles inland." "Camajore?" repeated Gale. "How is it spelt?" Gilbert spelt the word. "Do you know the place?" asked the officer. "Not at all." "Do you happen to know the best and quickest way of getting to it?" "You would take the train for Genoa, I fancy. Camajore is only a short distance from Genoa. But why do you ask me this?" "It will be necessary, I think, for us to have the death of Mr. Silwood confirmed." "I understand," said Gilbert, but he had only a glimmering of the inspector's meaning. "It will be as well--as a matter of form." "Quite so," said Gale. "All sorts of inquiries will be made, and we must be in a position to answer them. By the way, Mr. Gilbert, would you mind telling me if Mr. Silwood was on terms of intimacy with Mr. Thornton--would you say that Mr. Silwood was as much of a friend of Mr. Thornton as your father was?" "Mr. Thornton certainly knew Mr. Silwood very well, though perhaps he was hardly on the same terms of intimate friendship as my father was." "Still there was a considerable acquaintance?" "Undoubtedly." "Do you think Mr. Thornton knew Mr. Silwood well enough to go to the latter's rooms at midnight or thereabouts?" "I should scarcely have thought so. It's rather an extreme thing to go to a man's rooms at that time of night." "But if there was some pressing reason?" "Of course, necessity knows no law, but I can't suppose for one instant there was such a necessity. I believe that Mr. Thornton's relations with both Mr. Silwood and my father were of the most cordial character; indeed, I am certain they were. There was absolutely no hint of anything else. I know that for many years past Mr. Thornton reposed the greatest confidence in my father's firm." "So I understand," assented Gale. "Now, Mr. Gilbert, I must ask you to leave me. I shall tell you the instant I hear from the coroner." And Gilbert went out once more. As soon as he had gone, Gale rang his bell again.