"He asked me politely what my business was; whereupon I presented the book, and mentioned that it was for his daughter. He replied that she was at the Lintons', and would be back soon, when he would give her the book himself. Then he asked me to excuse him, and bowed me out of the gate. But," added Tait, with emphasis, "not before I had mentioned that Mr. Claude Larcher was staying with me." "Did my name produce any effect?" "Rather! Paynton changed color, and mumbled something unintelligible. Then he turned his back and walked quickly into the house, leaving me to close the gate myself. Depend upon it, he knows something, Claude." "But his name isn't mentioned in connection with the case." "Of course not. Paynton is a feigned one. And, as I have said before, there are, no doubt, actors in the tragedy of whom we know nothing." "There is one of that sort mentioned here," said Larcher, picking up Mrs. Bezel's letter. "Read that, Tait, and see what you make of it." It proved to be a short note, hastily written, and ran as follows: "MY DEAR CLAUDE: "If you are still in doubt as to who murdered your father, ask Mr. Hilliston to tell you about Louisa Sinclair, who lived at Horriston twenty-five years ago. She knows. "Your affectionate mother, "MARGARET BEZEL." "Louisa Sinclair," repeated Tait slowly, having mastered the contents of this letter. "No, I never heard of her. It is strange that Hilliston has never mentioned her name." "No doubt he had good reasons for not doing so," said Claude bitterly. "You need not look so astonished, Tait. I have long ago come round to your opinion of my old guardian. His intimacy with Paynton and the effect of his visit on Kerry would convince me--not to speak of that 'anonymous letter.'" "Ah! Kerry refused to speak." "He would not say a word, and, moreover, stated that he was not Denis Bantry; that he had never heard of Horriston. In fact, he acted his part excellently well till the last. Then he broke down, and, afraid of letting the cat out of the bag, he ran away." "Exactly what his master did," said Tait thoughtfully. "Depend upon it, Claude, we will learn the truth from one of those two." "If you think so, why go to Horriston?" "Because I want to learn the real name of Paynton, and, moreover, here is an additional reason. I must find out Louisa Sinclair." "There is no mention of her in the case." "Quite true. And there is no mention of Paynton; but for all that he knows about it. Oh, you may be sure there are circumstances to be discovered at Horriston which never came to light at the trial." "My mother is anxious for the mystery to be cleared up." "So I see, and I am glad of it," said Tait, with an affectation of carelessness. "I thought she was too ill to take an interest in the matter." "Am I to ask Hilliston about this woman?" said Claude, looking up in some doubt.