"It's the only thing to be said," said Derrick to Fane when the crowd dispersed. "The woman is dead, and she must be buried. That cost will fall on the parish." "No," replied Fane, who did not seem to be an unkindly man. "The poor creature died in my house, so I will charge myself with her burial. I have consulted Mrs. Fane, and she thinks as I do." "But you know nothing about her." "That is true. However, if you make inquiries, you may learn." The inspector shook his head. "I fear not; I don't know where to look. It is a kind thought of you to bury her, Mr. Fane. Not many men would do that in your place after the trouble you have had." "It's the least I can do, seeing she was murdered under my roof. But you may hear who she is. Why not advertise?" "That has been done. Handbills have been placed round describing her looks, and with a picture. Orders have been sent throughout London to the police to keep their eyes open. I doubt if anything will come of the hunt though." "Surely," said Fane, wrinkling his brows, "a woman can't disappear like this in London?" "London is the very place where people disappear," retorted Derrick. "Those who live in this big city never know how many people vanish yearly and are never heard of again. In this case we have the body of the woman, but who she was, where she came from, and why she was murdered in your house, will probably never be known." "Well," said Fane, with the air of a man dismissing the subject, "if you do intend to make inquiries, please keep me advised of your discoveries. I should like to know how the woman entered the house. I believe you saw my locksmith?" "I did. He swears positively that he did not make a duplicate key. More than that, he has not a duplicate of the one he made you." Fane looked doubtful. "I should have thought he would have retained a copy for trade purposes. Suppose I lost the key----" "He would not have been able to make you another, Mr. Fane. However, I am keeping an eye on him. He may be lying for his own ends. One never knows, and I always mistrust respectable men." "From what my sister-in-law told me, Mr. Derrick, you were inclined to mistrust me." Derrick coughed. "The case is so strange," said he; "but I am now quite sure that you had nothing to do with the matter." "Thank you for nothing," said Fane dryly. "It is lucky that with the assistance of my wife I was able to prove an alibi." "Very lucky indeed," replied the inspector cheerfully. "Had you been in town that night, and unable to explain your comings and goings, it might have gone hard with you." "Do you mean to say----"