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By Root 620 0

money—to use a euphemism—from his firm—I may say without their knowledge. He was fond of speculating in shares, and on one occasion previously, knowing that certain dividends were to be paid into his account in a week’s time, he anticipated them by using the firm’s money to buy certain shares which he had pretty certain knowledge were bound to go up. The transaction was quite satisfactory, the money was replaced and Pearson really doesn’t seem to have had any doubts as to the honesty of the transaction. Apparently he repeated this just over a week ago. This time an unforeseen thing occurred. The books of the firm were examined at certain stated times, but for some reason or other this date was advanced, and Pearson was faced with a very unpleasant dilemma. He was quite aware of the construction that would be put on his action and he was quite unable to raise the sum of money involved. He admits himself that he had tried in various quarters and failed when as a last resource he rushed down to Devonshire to lay the matter before his uncle and persuade him to help him. This Captain Trevelyan absolutely refused to do.

‘Now, my dear Emily, we shall be quite unable to prevent these facts from being brought to light. The police have already unearthed the matter. And you see, don’t you, that we have here a very pressing and urgent motive for the crime? The moment Captain Trevelyan was dead Pearson could easily have obtained the necessary sum as an advance from Mr Kirkwood and saved himself from disaster and possibly criminal prosecution.’

‘Oh, the idiot,’ said Emily helplessly.

‘Quite so,’ said Mr Dacres dryly. ‘It seems to me that our only chance lies in proving that Jim Pearson was quite unaware of the provisions of his uncle’s will.’

There was a pause while Emily considered the matter. Then she said quietly:

‘I’m afraid that’s impossible. All three of them knew—Sylvia, Jim and Brian. They often discussed it and laughed and joked about the rich uncle in Devonshire.’

‘Dear, dear,’ said Mr Dacres. ‘That’s unfortunate.’

‘You don’t think him guilty, Mr Dacres?’ asked Emily.

‘Curiously enough I do not,’ replied the lawyer. ‘In some ways Jim Pearson is a most transparent young man. He hasn’t, if you will allow me to say so, Emily, a very high standard of commercial honesty, but I do not believe for one minute that his hand sandbagged his uncle.’

‘Well, that’s a good thing,’ said Emily. ‘I wish the police thought the same.’

‘Quite so. Our own impressions and ideas are of no practical use. The case against him is unfortunately strong. I am not going to disguise from you, my dear child, that the outlook is bad. I should suggest Lorimer, K.C., as the defence. Forlorn hope man they call him,’ he added cheerfully.

‘There is one thing I should like to know,’ said Emily. ‘You have, of course, seen Jim?’

‘Certainly.’

‘I want you to tell me honestly if you think he has told the truth in other respects.’ She outlined to him the idea that Enderby had suggested to her.

The lawyer considered the matter carefully before replying.

‘It’s my impression,’ he said, ‘that he is speaking the truth when he describes his interview with his uncle. But there is little doubt that he has got the wind up badly, and if he went round to the window, entered that way and came across his uncle’s dead body—he might just possibly be too scared to admit the fact and have concocted this other story.’

‘That’s what I thought,’ said Emily. ‘Next time you see him, Mr Dacres, will you urge him to speak the truth? It may make the most tremendous difference.’

‘I will do so. All the same,’ he said after a moment or two’s pause, ‘I think you are mistaken in this idea. The news of Captain Trevelyan’s death was bandied around in Exhampton about eight thirty. At that time the last train had left for Exeter, but Jim Pearson got the first train available in the morning—a thoroughly unwise proceeding, by the way, as it called attention to his movements which otherwise would not have been aroused if he had left by a train at a more conventional hour. Now if, as you suggest,