while Mrs. Leath, with a heartrending cry, fell heavily to the floor.
••••••••
The next morning Farnham was nervously pacing the floor of his breakfast-room, suffering from what may be concisely described as a surfeit of detective work, when Lethbridge was shown in; and a glance at that astute gentleman’s face assured him that matters were not altogether as they should be in the affair of Captain Black. “He swears he never touched Leath,” said the detective, “and we haven’t anything to go on but the circumstantial evidence. I hoped he would break down and confess, but he is as hard as a flint.”
“What explanation does he offer?” inquired Farnham. “The business couldn’t possibly look blacker for him as it stands.”
“Well, his story is pretty straight as it goes,” said Lethbridge. “He says his
