"Mr. Ayscough!" she exclaimed. "What's this?--is something the matter? What are you doing here?" she went on hurriedly, turning to Lauriston. "Inside the shop! What's happened?--tell me, one of you?" The detective purposely kept himself and Lauriston between Zillah and the open door at the rear of the shop. He made a kindly motion of his head towards her. "Now, my dear!" he said. "Don't get upset--your grandfather was getting a very old man, you know--and we can't expect old gentlemen to live for ever. Take it quietly, now!" The girl turned and laid her flowers and parcels on the counter. Lauriston, watching her anxiously, saw that she was nerving herself to be brave. "That means--he's dead?" she said. "I am quiet--you see I'm quiet. Tell me what's happened--you tell me," she added, glancing at Lauriston. "Tell me--now!" "I came in and found no one here, and I looked round through the door into the parlour there," answered Lauriston, "and I saw your grandfather lying on the floor. So I jumped over the counter and went to him." Zillah moved forward as if to go into the parlour. But the detective stopped her, glancing from her to Lauriston. "You know this young man, Miss Wildrose?" he asked. "You've met him before?" "Yes," replied Zillah, confidently. "He's Mr. Lauriston. Let me go in there, please. Can nothing be done?" But Ayscough only shook his head. There was nothing to be done--but to await the arrival of the doctor. They followed the girl into the parlour and stood by while she bent over the dead man. She made no demonstration of grief, and when Ayscough presently suggested that she should go upstairs until the doctor had come, she went quietly away. "Hadn't we better lift him on that sofa?" suggested Lauriston. "Not till our people and the police-surgeon have seen him," answered Ayscough, shaking his head. "I want to know all about this--he may have died a natural death--a seizure of some sort--and again, he mayn't--They'll be here in a minute." Lauriston presently found himself a passive spectator while a police-inspector, another man in plain clothes, and the doctor examined the body, after hearing Ayscough's account of what had just happened. He was aware that he was regarded with suspicion--the inspector somewhat brusquely bade him stay where he was: it would, indeed, have been impossible to leave, for there was a policeman at the door, in which, by his superior's orders, he had turned the key. And there was a general, uncomfortable sort of silence in the place while the doctor busied himself about the body. "This man has been assaulted!" said the doctor, suddenly turning to the inspector. "Look here!--he's not only been violently gripped by the right arm--look at that bruise--but taken savagely by the throat. There's no doubt of that. Old and evidently feeble as he was, the shock would be quite enough to kill him. But--that's how it's been done, without a doubt." The inspector turned, looking hard at Lauriston.