“Yes.”

“The old fellow, who is a bit of a sponge, admits that he was given two pounds by ‘a foreign gentleman’ for sending that telegram and shamming illness during the night.  I wish I could put the hoary old rascal in jail, but his action probably saved Ann Rogers from sharing her mistress’s fate.”

“Mr. Winter, has it struck you that the man who devised this scheme, beginning with the murder of Mrs. Lester and ending, Heaven alone knows when or where, is an organizing genius of a very high orders”

“You would be surprised if you knew the real extent and scope of this affair,” said Winter.  “Some day soon I’ll be more outspoken.  Goodnight.  If you go out in the morning leave word with Bates where you can be found if wanted.”

Theydon turned from the telephone and found Bates standing beside him.  That stolid and worthy ex-noncommissioned officer was armed with a red-hot poker.  Henceforth his employer saw pretense was useless.

“Beg pardon, sir,” said the valet apologetically.  “I couldn’t help overhearin’ what you were sayin’, an’ if there’s any blinkin’ Chinee hidden in this place I’ll put a mark on him he won’t forget in a hurry.”

Theydon could not help laughing, but Bates was in earnest.

“Once I was stationed in Cork, sir,” he said solemnly, “an’ we had to stop a riot.  It was then I learnt the reel vally of a red-hot poker.  It’s as good as a baynit any time.  I’ve kep’ this one handy since Mr. Furneaux ran out.  I do believe he saw a Chinaman.”

“He did, and, what is more, arrested him.  Well, come on, Bates.  There are not many hiding places in one of these flats.  I only hope we find a Celestial.  It would be the fitting finale to a busy day.”

But their search was in vain, though they succeeded in scaring Mrs. Bates badly.  It was almost inconceivable that two such men, one a powerfully-built athlete and the other an ex-soldier, should even imagine that any marauder could be secreted in the flat; but the European insensibly credits the Oriental with occult powers, and they took their task quite soberly.

Singularly enough it led to a discovery bearing directly on the problem of Mrs. Lester’s death.  Lending out of the kitchen was a narrow scullery; here a lift, worked by a wheel on the ground level, delivered coals by the sack and other heavy parcels.

Theydon glanced at the sliding panel which gave access to the lift.  Obviously he seldom, if ever, visited this part of his domain.

“Can that thing be operated only from the ground?” he inquired.

“O, no, sir,” said Bates.  “I often pull it up when I want to lower the dust bin.”

“Can you do it now?”

Bates looked surprised at first, then thoughtful.  Theydon’s words had suggested a new idea.  He opened the panel, tugged vigorously at a rope, and soon the lift itself, a sort of large cupboard, open at the side, came in view.