"There is nothing else you wish to say to me ?" "There is something else," the Duke answered coldly.

"I understand that the police yesterday, on a sworn affidavit, were granted a search warrant to examine your premises for stolen property.

What the devil is the meaning of this ?" "I think, sir," I answered, "that the stolen property was a pretext.

It seems that during the last few days has come to light that the man whose body I found on the sands was not washed in from the sea, but was a stranger, who had arrived in Braster the previous evening, and had made inquiries as to where I lived.

It seems to be the desire of the police, therefore, to connect me in some way with the affair." The Duke looked at me searchingly.
"I presume," he said, "that they had something in the nature of evidence, or they would scarcely have been able to swear the affidavit for the search warrant." "They have nothing more direct, sir, than that the body was found close to my cottage, that he had presumably left Braster to see me, and that I was foolish enough to persuade the person, of whom the dead man made these inquiries in Braster, not to come forward at the inquest." "Stop! Stop!" the Duke said irritably.