"I don't know, but I think she was there on that night," and Dowker detailed to Lydia the conversation overheard by Flip, at the conclusion of which she said: "I suppose you want to find out from the servants if Miss Sarschine was there?" "Yes; do you know any of the servants?" "One--Lady Balscombe's maid--Anne Lifford." "Oh!" said Dowker in a satisfied tone. "Can you ask her to come along here and see you? I can find out all I want to know from her." "I daresay I can get her to come here to-day, as her mistress being away she cannot be busy." "Good!" replied the detective, "send for her at once. I will wait here." "Very well," said Lydia, and was leaving the room when Dowker called her back. "Could you let me see your mistress's private desk?" he asked. "What for?" demanded Lydia, rather taken aback. "Because I want to look over her papers; from them I can gather her past life, and find out if anyone had a motive in killing her." "Oh!" said Lydia after a pause, "you don't think then that Mr. Desmond is guilty?" Dowker shrugged his shoulders. "How can I tell?" he replied; "as far as I can see he had no motive, and one does not commit a murder for sport--but come, show me her desk." Lydia looked at him doubtfully. "I don't know if I ought to let you see her private papers." Dowker laughed in a subdued manner. "Why not?" he said lightly, "she is dead, and we want to find out who killed her--looking at her papers cannot do any harm and may save the life of an innocent man." Lydia Fenny hesitated no longer, but leading the detective to the end of the drawing-room showed him a recess wherein was placed a very handsome desk of the ordinary office character. Dowker tried some of the drawers. "Locked," he said quietly. "Have you the keys?" "No, she had them with her." Dowker made up his mind to commit a burglary. "Bring me a chisel." "At once," replied Lydia Fenny, going, "and I'll also send for Anne Lifford." She left the room, and Dowker sitting down in front of the desk examined it carefully. It was one of those table desks with a knee-hole in the centre and a row of drawers on each side. At the back were a number of pigeon holes containing papers, and these Dowker examined, but found nothing more than bills and blank sheets of paper. "Whatever private papers she's had," said Dowker, on discovering this, "are in these drawers." Lydia Fenny arrived with the chisel and a small hammer, both of which she handed to Dowker, telling him at the same time she had sent for Anne Lifford. Dowker nodded carelessly and began to force open the drawers. After half-an-hour's hard work this was the result of his labours. First, a bundle of old letters addressed to "Miss Helena Dicksfall, Post Office, Folkestone," signed F. Carrill. Second, a photograph of a handsome white-haired old man, on the back of which photograph was written, "Your loving father, Michael Dicksfall."