"The man who restored those notes," said Torry promptly. "How were they restored?" "A red-haired, red-bearded man called at Manuel's hotel last night and gave them to the porter." "A red wig again! the same as Grent wore," said Frank, musingly. "That is strange. There is no possibility of the man being traced?" "No! He came out of the darkness fulfilled his mission, and vanished again into the night. Nothing is known of him. Still, you may find him." "I!" exclaimed Frank amazed. "You jest!" "Indeed, I am quite in earnest!" protested Torry. "Listen! I left the tracing of the numbers of the stolen notes to Grent's bank, but all these weeks the bank has failed to obtain information. I fear, therefore, that they have bungled the matter, and I wish to place it in more capable hands--yours, for instance." "I fear I can do little, Torry!" "A man with brains can do anything," retorted the detective. "See here, Mr. Darrel, this is a list of the numbers of the original notes which were stolen from the private safe; and here is another with the numbers of the restored notes. Now, you take these two lists, and go round to every bank in the United Kingdom until you find the changed notes. Then discover who changed them. If you are successful----" "Well!" said Darrel, taking the lists, "if I am successful?" "In that case," finished Torry, "the mystery, which has perplexed us so long, will be at an end." "You mean, we shall catch the assassin?" "Yes; the assassin who changed these notes." "But, I say," said Darrel doubtfully, "you have yet to prove that Grent had the ten thousand pounds on him when he was murdered." "I'll prove that when you find out who changed the notes." "By forcing the assassin to confess?" "No! In another way. I am beginning to see light in all this darkness." "Another theory?" "Well, yes; but one which will shortly be changed into fact. You go, Mr. Darrel, and fulfil your mission; I shall remain here to work at the case in my own way. But for the satisfactory solution of this criminal problem, I depend upon one thing." "And that one thing, Mr. Torry?" "It's chance! Chance, sir, which solves nine riddles out of ten." "That is not very complimentary to the detective profession." "Detectives," said Torry with a shrug, "only work miracles--in novels." After making this statement Torry walked to the door; but there pausing for a moment or so, turned towards Darrel. "By the way," said he, "the restoration of those bank notes is known only to four people--yourself, Vass, myself and Manuel. You need not mention the fact to anyone else. It would be wiser not to do so." "Why?" asked Frank looking up. "Because the person who restored them may inadvertently hint at the restitution; and if nothing is said about it openly, he will thus condemn himself." "Perhaps so Torry; but there is one person I should like to mention the matter to." "Who is that?"