“I think, as I said, that they knew something which they think may be forced upon them.  I never saw a man in a greater fright than that I saw Elphick in last night.  And it’s evident that Cardlestone shares in that fright, or they wouldn’t have gone off in this way together.”

“Do you think they know anything of the actual murder?”

Spargo shook his head.

“I don’t know.  Probably.  They know something.  And—­look here!”

Spargo put his hand in his breast pocket and drew something out which he handed to Breton, who gazed at it curiously.

“What’s this?” he demanded.  “Stamps?”

“That, from the description of Criedir, the stamp-dealer, is a sheet of those rare Australian stamps which Maitland had on him—­carried on him.  I picked it up just now in Cardlestone’s room, when you were looking into his bedroom.”

“But that, after all, proves nothing.  Those mayn’t be the identical stamps.  And whether they are or not——­” “What are the probabilities?” interrupted Spargo sharply.  “I believe that those are the stamps which Maitland—­your father!—­had on him, and I want to know how they came to be in Cardlestone’s rooms.  And I will know.”

Breton handed the stamps back.

“But the general thing, Spargo?” he said.  “If they didn’t murder—­I can’t realize the thing yet!—­my father——­”

“If they didn’t murder your father, they know who did!” exclaimed Spargo.  “Now, then, it’s time for more action.  Let Elphick and Cardlestone alone for the moment—­they’ll be tracked easily enough.  I want to tackle something else for the moment.  How do you get an authority from the Government to open a grave?”

“Order from the Home Secretary, which will have to be obtained by showing the very strongest reasons why it should be made.”

“Good!  We’ll give the reasons.  I want to have a grave opened.”

“A grave opened!  Whose grave?”

“The grave of the man Chamberlayne at Market Milcaster,” replied Spargo.

Breton started.

“His?  In Heaven’s name, why?” he demanded.

Spargo laughed as he got up.

“Because I believe it’s empty,” he answered.  “Because I believe that
Chamberlayne is alive, and that his other name is—­Cardlestone!”

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

THE PENITENT WINDOW-CLEANER

That afternoon Spargo had another of his momentous interviews with his proprietor and his editor.  The first result was that all three drove to the offices of the legal gentleman who catered for the Watchman when it wanted any law, and that things were put in shape for an immediate application to the Home Office for permission to open the Chamberlayne grave at Market Milcaster; the second was that on the following morning there appeared in the Watchman a notice which set half the mouths of London a-watering.  That notice; penned by Spargo, ran as follows:—­