"I know that he has a cross tattooed on his arm also. And it is for that reason that I reject your secret society business." "It isn't mine. I am merely following the lead of Renshaw." "Then you are following a will-o-the-wisp," retorted Fanks. "See here, Garth. I have known Hersham for a long time; he is the son of a clergyman in the Isle of Wight. He was brought up to the law like yourself; and also like yourself, he left it for journalism. As you know, he is a merry, open-minded creature, who could not conceal a secret if his life depended upon it. Do you think that if he had been mixed up with secret societies that he would have been able to conceal the fact from me?" "Then why is there a cross tattooed on his left arm?" asked Garth. "I intend to see him and find out. I noticed it long ago; but made no remark on it, thinking that it was the result of some school-boy freak. Now it has assumed a new importance in my eyes. Therefore you must let me interview Hersham, and choose my own time and place for doing so." "I suppose you are right. Tear up that letter, please." Fanks held out the letter. "Tear it up yourself," he said. This Garth did without further remark, and looked at his friend. "What do you intend to do now?" he asked. "Continue this conversation for a few minutes longer. You were intimate with the dead man, Garth. Did you ever notice this cross?" "I did not," said Garth, promptly, "or I should have asked what it meant. By Jove!" he added, with a start. "Then all that obliteration business must be nonsense." "Of course," assented Fanks, smoothly. "I came to that conclusion long ago. Fellenger had no cross on his arm when he entered Tooley's Alley. It was tattooed that night by the negro." "What makes you think that?" "I found a few grains of gunpowder on the tablecloth of the room in which they were together; gunpowder is used in tattooing. Again, the arm, when Renshaw showed it to me, was raw, as though the operation had been done lately." "But why should Gregory go to Tooley's Alley to be tattooed?" "Tell me that, and the mystery of his death is at an end," said Fanks, significantly. "But I am certain that Fellenger voluntarily let this negro tattoo his arm; and so came by his death." "Came by his death," echoed Garth in astonishment. "What do you mean?" "Why," answered Fanks, seriously, "I mean that the needle used for the tattooing was poisoned; and so--," he shrugged his shoulders, "--the man died." CHAPTER IV. ANOTHER DISCOVERY. Informed of this astounding fact, Garth stared at his friend in blank astonishment. The detective resumed his cigar, and waited. "You cannot be in earnest," said the barrister after a pause. "Why not? The theory is feasible enough. It was proved at the inquest that the man died from blood-poisoning." "Yes. But it might have been administered in the liquor. The pair had drinks, remember."