"Looks bad!--very, very bad, Collingwood!" he answered. "Art and scheme of a desperate woman, of course. But--we mustn't let her daughter think we believe it. Let her stick to the suggestion I made--which, as you remarked, would certainly make a very good line of defence, supposing Pratt even did accuse her. But now--what on earth is this document that's been mentioned--this paper of which Pratt has possession? Has Mrs. Mallathorpe at some time committed forgery--or bigamy--or--what is it? One thing's sure, however--we've got to work quietly. We mustn't let Pratt know that we're working. I hope he doesn't know that Miss Mallathorpe came here. Will you come back about four and hear what message she sends me? After that, we could consult." Collingwood went away to his chambers. He was much occupied just then, and had little time to think of anything but the work in hand. But as he ate his lunch at the club which he had joined on settling in Barford, he tried to get at some notion of the state of things, and once more his mind reverted to the time of his grandfather's death, and his own suspicions about Pratt at that period. Clearly that was a point to which they must hark back--he himself must make more inquiries about the circumstances of Antony Bartle's last hours. For this affair would not have to rest where it was--it was intolerable that Nesta Mallathorpe should in any way be under Pratt's power. He went back to Eldrick at four o'clock with a suggestion or two in his mind. And at the sight of him Eldrick shook his head. "I've had that telephone message from Normandale," he said, "five minutes ago. Pretty much what I expected--at this juncture, anyway. Mrs. Mallathorpe absolutely declines to talk business with even her daughter at present--and earnestly desires that Mr. Linford Pratt may be left alone." "Well?" asked Collingwood after a pause. "What now?" "We must do what we can--secretly, privately, for the daughter's sake," said Eldrick. "I confess I don't quite see a beginning, but----" Just then the private door opened, and Pascoe, a somewhat lackadaisical-mannered man, who always looked half-asleep, and was in reality remarkably wide-awake, lounged in, nodded to Collingwood, and threw a newspaper in front of his partner. "I say, Eldrick," he drawled, as he removed a newly-lighted cigar from his lips. "There's an advertisement here which seems to refer to that precious protégé of yours, who left you with such scant ceremony. Same name, anyhow!" Eldrick snatched up the paper, glanced at it and read a few words aloud. "INFORMATION WANTED about James Parrawhite, at one time in practice as a solicitor." CHAPTER XVII ADVERTISEMENT Eldrick looked up at his partner with a sharp, confirmatory glance.