“I have heard him talk of Chicago.  He knew that city well and had worked there.  I have heard him talk of the coal and iron districts.  He had travelled a good deal in his time.”

“Was he a politician?  Had this secret society to do with politics?”

“No, he cared nothing about politics.”

“You have no reason to think it was criminal?”

“On the contrary, I never met a straighter man in my life.”

“Was there anything curious about his life in California?”

“He liked best to stay and to work at our claim in the mountains.  He would never go where other men were if he could help it.  That’s why I first thought that someone was after him.  Then when he left so suddenly for Europe I made sure that it was so.  I believe that he had a warning of some sort.  Within a week of his leaving half a dozen men were inquiring for him.”

“What sort of men?”

“Well, they were a mighty hard-looking crowd.  They came up to the claim and wanted to know where he was.  I told them that he was gone to Europe and that I did not know where to find him.  They meant him no good—­it was easy to see that.”

“Were these men Americans—­Californians?”

“Well, I don’t know about Californians.  They were Americans, all right.  But they were not miners.  I don’t know what they were, and was very glad to see their backs.”

“That was six years ago?”

“Nearer seven.”

“And then you were together five years in California, so that this business dates back not less than eleven years at the least?”

“That is so.”

“It must be a very serious feud that would be kept up with such earnestness for as long as that.  It would be no light thing that would give rise to it.”

“I think it shadowed his whole life.  It was never quite out of his mind.”

“But if a man had a danger hanging over him, and knew what it was, don’t you think he would turn to the police for protection?”

“Maybe it was some danger that he could not be protected against.  There’s one thing you should know.  He always went about armed.  His revolver was never out of his pocket.  But, by bad luck, he was in his dressing gown and had left it in the bedroom last night.  Once the bridge was up, I guess he thought he was safe.”

“I should like these dates a little clearer,” said MacDonald.  “It is quite six years since Douglas left California.  You followed him next year, did you not?”

“That is so.”

“And he had been married five years.  You must have returned about the time of his marriage.”

“About a month before.  I was his best man.”

“Did you know Mrs. Douglas before her marriage?”

“No, I did not.  I had been away from England for ten years.”

“But you have seen a good deal of her since.”

Barker looked sternly at the detective.  “I have seen a good deal of him since,” he answered.  “If I have seen her, it is because you cannot visit a man without knowing his wife.  If you imagine there is any connection—­”