"They can know as much as they like," said Tait quietly, "but we know more, and if it comes to a tug of war I think you and I can win against Hilliston and Co. But come outside and let us examine the top of the wall." "Do you think the stone was thrown from there?" asked Claude, as they went out into the garden. "I fancy so from your description. Light this candle." The night was so still that the flame of the candle hardly wavered. Tait gave it to Claude to hold, and easily climbed up the wall by thrusting the toes of his boots in among the loose stones. He examined the top carefully, and then getting the light tied it to a piece of string and lowered it on the other side. In a few minutes he came down again with a satisfied look. "As I thought," he said, blowing out the candle. "Someone has been on that wall and thrown the stone from there. I saw the marks of feet on the other side. The man who delivered the letter jumped the ditch and made off across the fields." "You don't think it is Hilliston?" said Claude doubtfully. "No; but I think it is an emissary of Hilliston. Perhaps Denis Bantry." "Tait!" said Larcher, after a pause, "from Hilliston's visit to Paynton, from the way in which Paynton persistently secludes himself from the world; and from the knowledge we possess that the information for Linton's book came out of that cottage, I have come to a conclusion." "What is that?" "I believe that Ferdinand Paynton is none other than Mark Jeringham, who killed my father." CHAPTER XXVIII. PREPARING THE GROUND. AWARE that Claude would hear sooner or later of his visit to Paynton, the lawyer wrote to forestall the information, skillfully alleging a business engagement as his excuse for the visit. "I would have called on you," he continued, "but that it was already late when I left my client, Mr. Paynton, and I had to return to Eastbourne in time for dinner. However, I hope to come over again shortly, and then you must tell me how you are getting on with your case. I am afraid you will learn nothing at Thorston." "He knows better than that," said Tait, to whom the letter was shown; "he is aware that we have cut the ground from under his feet so far as Jenny is concerned. Moreover, I am certain that he is the author of that anonymous letter of a few days since." "Do you really think he came here to ask Miss Paynton to keep silence?" asked Claude, returning the letter to his pocket. "My dear fellow, I am certain of it. And he also wishes to show us that he knows Paynton, so as to warn us against asking questions in that quarter." "Indeed, I think it is useless to do so," said Larcher doubtfully; "you know we called yesterday and were refused admittance." "Oh, I spoke to Mr. Linton about that," replied Tait easily; "it seems that such is invariably the case, as this hermit will see no one." "Why? What can be his reason for such persistent seclusion?"