I have often told
Lyle that if he had not been a detective he would have made a great
success as a poet or a playwright.
"When Arthur turned on him, Lyle hesitated for a moment, and then
told him exactly what was the case against him,
"'Ever since your brother was reported as having died in Africa,' he
said, 'your lordship has been collecting money on post-obits. Lord
Chetney's arrival, last night, turned them into waste-paper. You were
suddenly in debt for thousands of pounds--for much more than you
could ever possibly pay. No one knew that you and your brother had
met at Madame Zichy's. But you knew that your father was not expected
to outlive the night, and that if your brother were dead also, you
would be saved from complete ruin, and that you would become the
Marquis of Edam.'
"'Oh, that is how you have worked it out, is it?' Arthur cried. 'And
for me to become Lord Edam was it necessary that the woman should
die, too?'
"'They will say,' Lyle answered, 'that she was a witness to the
murder--that she would have told.'
"'Then why did I not kill the servant as well?' Arthur said.
"'He was asleep, and saw nothing.
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