"Tell me where my father is." "I can't do that. I have not your father's permission to do so." "How long will he be away?" "Until I can induce him to return," said Mask blandly. Allen leaned forward, and looked the lawyer in the eyes. "Is my father afraid of being arrested?" Mask started. "No. Why do you say that?" "Because--but before I tell you, may I ask his reason for staying away?" Mask looked perplexed again. "I can't exactly tell you," he said. "I may as well be frank, Mr. Allen, as I don't like the situation. Your father, whom I have known all his life, came to me over a week ago in great agitation. He said that he was in danger, but what the danger was, he refused to confess. I insisted on an explanation, and he promised to tell me some day. Meantime he wanted to be hidden away for the time being. I arranged that for him." "I don't think that was wise of you, Mr. Mask." "My good Allen--I can call you so as I've known you since you were a lad--there is no reason why I should not help your father. He may have done something against the law, for all I know, but as he is my client, it is my duty to help him. He is a good client to me, and I am not such a fool as to lose him. It is my business to keep secrets, and here is one I have not found out. But I don't intend to let your father go away till I _do_ find out," said Mask grimly. "On that condition I helped him. And after all," added the lawyer, "your father is quite in his sane senses, and I have no right to dictate to him, even when he acts in so eccentric a manner." "He is always eccentric," said the son wearily; "but this behaviour is beyond a joke. How is my mother to live?" "I can't send her money. Your father will see to that." "But why am I shut out from my father's confidence?" "I can't say. Remember," said Mask in a slightly irritable tone, "I am shut out also." Allen, much perplexed over the situation which was sufficiently annoying and mysterious, thought for a moment. "Did my father tell you of the cardboard box he received?" "He did not. He said nothing, save that he wished to hide for a time, and would reveal his reason later." "Then I must tell you everything I know," said Allen in desperation. "If my father won't trust you, I must. My mother is in a great state of alarm, and for her sake I must get him to come back." Mr. Mask looked doubtful. "I don't know whether he'll hear reason," he said, after a pause. "However, what you tell me will go no further." "Well then, Mr. Mask, I know why my father is afraid." "It's more than I do. Why is he afraid?" "Because he thinks he may be arrested for the murder of Strode." Mask pushed back his chair and rose quickly. It was not an easy matter to astonish a man, who, in that very room, had heard tales worthy of the _Arabian Nights_, but Allen had certainly managed to do so. "Do you mean to say he killed Strode?" he asked. "No. But he thinks he did." "How can that be?"