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followed the appearance of his telegram。 His first words cheered
me。 To my infinite surprise and relief； he was far from sharing
the despondent view which I took of my position。
〃I don't deny；〃 he said； 〃that there are some serious obstacles
in your way。 But I should never have called here before attending
to my professional business in London if Mr。 Benjamin's notes had
not produced a very strong impression on my mind。 For the first
time； as _I_ think； you really have a prospect of success。 For
the first time； I feel justified in offering （under certain
restrictions） to help you。 That miserable wretch； in the collapse
of his intelligence； has done what he would never have done in
the possession of his sense and his cunninghe has let us see
the first precious glimmerings of the light of truth。〃
〃Are you sure it _is_ the truth？〃 I asked。
〃In two important particulars；〃 he answered； 〃I know it to be the
truth。 Your idea about him is the right one。 His memory （as you
suppose） was the least injured of his faculties； and was the last
to give way under the strain of trying to tell that story。 I
believe his memory to have been speaking to you （unconsciously to
himself） in all that he said from the moment when the first
reference to 'the letter' escaped him to the end。〃
〃But what does the reference to the letter mean？〃 I asked。 〃For
my part； I am entirely in the dark about it。〃
〃So am I；〃 he answered； frankly。 〃The chief one among the
obstacles which I mentioned just now is the obstacle presented by
that same 'letter。' The late Mrs。 Eustace must have been
connected with it in some way； or Dexter would never have spoken
of it as 'a dagger in his heart'； Dexter would never have coupled
her name with the words which describe the tearing up of the
letter and the throwing of it away。 I can arrive with some
certainty at this result； and I can get no further。 I have no
more idea than you have of who wrote the letter； or of what was
written in it。 If we are ever to make that discoveryprobably
the most important discovery of allwe must dispatch our first
inquiries a distance of three thousand miles。 In plain English；
my dear lady； we must send to America。〃
This； naturally enough； took me completely by surprise。 I waited
eagerly to hear why we were to send to America。
〃It rests with you；〃 he proceeded； 〃when you hear what I have to
tell you； to say whether you will go to the expense of sending a
man to New York； or not。 I can find the right man for the
purpose； and I estimate the expense （including a telegram）〃
〃Never mind the expense！〃 I interposed； losing all patience with
the eminently Scotch view of the case which put my purse in the
first place of importance。 〃I don't care for the expense； I want
to know what you have discovered。〃
He smiled。 〃She doesn't care for the expense；〃 he said to
himself； pleasantly。 〃How like a woman！〃
I might have retorted； 〃He thinks of the expense before he thinks
of anything else。 How like a Scotchman！〃 As it was； I was too
anxious to be witty。 I only drummed impatiently with my fingers
on the table； and said； 〃Tell me！ tell me！〃
He took out the fair copy from Benjamin's note…book which I had
sent to him； and showed me these among Dexter's closing words：
〃What about the letter？ Burn it now。 No fire in the grate。 No
matches in the box。 House topsy…turvy。 Servants all gone。〃
〃Do you really understand what those words mean？〃 I asked。
〃I look back into my own experience；〃 he answered； 〃and I
understand perfectly what the words mean。〃
〃And can you make me understand them too？〃
〃Easily。 In those incomprehensible sentences Dexter's memory has
correctly recalled certain facts。 I have only to tell you the
facts； and you will be as wise as I am。 At the time of the Trial；
your husband surprised and distressed me by insisting on the
instant dismissal of all the household servants at Gleninch。 I
was instructed to pay them a quarter's wages in advance； to give
them the excellent written characters which their good conduct
thoroughly deserved； and to see the house clear of them at an
hour's notice。 Eustace's motive for this summary proceeding was
much the same motive which animated his conduct toward you。 'If I
am ever to return to Gleninch；' he said； 'I cannot face my honest
servants after the infamy of having stood my trial for murder。'
There was his reason。 Nothing that I could say to him； poor
fellow； shook his resolution。 I dismissed the servants
accordingly。 At an hour's notice； they quitted the house； leaving
their work for the day all undone。 The only persons placed in
charge of Gleninch were persons who lived on the outskirts of the
parkthat is to say； the lodge…keeper and his wife and daughter。
On the last day of the Trial I instructed the daughter to do her
best to make the rooms tidy。 She was a good girl enough； but she
had no experience as a housemaid： it would never enter her head
to lay the bedroom fires ready for lighting； or to replenish the
empty match…boxes。 Those chance words that dropped from Dexter
would； no doubt； exactly describe the state of his room when he
returned to Gleninch； with the prisoner and his mother； from
Edinburgh。 That he tore up the mysterious letter in his bedroom；
and （finding no means immediately at hand for burning it） that he
threw the fragments into the empty grate； or into the waste…paper
basket； seems to be the most reasonable conclusion that we can
draw from what we know。 In any case； he would not have much time
to think about it。 Everything was done in a hurry on that day。
Eustace and his mother； accompanied by Dexter； left for England
the same evening by the night train。 I myself locked up the
house； and gave the keys to the lodge…keeper。 It was understood
that he was to look after the preservation of the reception…rooms
on the ground…floor； and that his wife and daughter were to
perform the same service between them in the rooms upstairs。 On
receiving your letter； I drove at once to Gleninch to question
the old woman on the subject of the bedrooms； and of Dexter's
room especially。 She remembered the time when the house was shut
up by associating it with the time when she was confined to her
bed by an attack of sciatica。 She had not crossed the lodge door；
she was sure； for at least a week （if not longer after Gleninch
had been left in charge of her husband and herself。 Whatever was
done in the way of keeping the bedrooms aired and tidy during her
illness was done by her daughter。 She； and she only； must have
disposed of any letter which might have been lying about in
Dexter's room。 Not a vestige of torn paper； as I can myself
certify； is to be discovered in any part of the room now。 Where
did the girl find the fragments of the letter？ and what did she
do with them？ Those are the questions （if you approve of it）
which we must send three thousand miles away to askfor this
sufficient reason； that the lodge…keeper's daughter was married
more than a year since； and that she is settled with her husband
in business at New York。 It rests with you to decide what is to
be done。 Don't let me mislead you with false hopes！ Don't let me
tempt you to throw away your money！ Even if this woman does
remember what she did with the torn paper； the chances； at this
distance of time； are enormously against our ever recovering a
single morsel of it。 Be in no haste to decide。 I have my work to
do in the cityI can give you the whole day to think it over。〃
〃Send the man to New York by the next steamer；〃 I said。 〃There is
my decision； Mr。 Playmore； without keeping you waiting for it！〃
He shook his head； in grave disapproval of my impetuosity。 In my
former interview with him we had never once touched on the
question of money。 I was now； for the first time； to make
acquaintance with Mr。 Playmore on the purely Scotch side of his
character。
〃Why； you don't even know what it will cost you！〃 he exclaimed；
taking out his pocket…book with the air of a man who was equally
startled and scandalized。 〃Wait till I tot it up；〃 he said； 〃in
English and American money。〃
〃I can't wait！ I want to make more discoveries！〃
He took no notice of my interruption； he went on impenetrably
with his calculations。
〃The man will go second…class； and will take a return…ticket。
Very well。 His ticket includes his food； and （being； thank God； a
teetotaler） he won't waste your money in buying liquor on board。
Arrived at New York； he will go to a cheap German house； where he
will； as I am credibly informed； be boarded and lodged at the
rate〃
By this time （my patience being completely worn out） I had taken
my check…book from the table…drawer； had signed my name； and had
handed the blank check across the table to my legal adviser。
〃Fill it in with whatever the man wants；〃 I said。 〃And for
Heaven's sake let us get back to Dexter！〃
Mr。 Playmore fell back in his chair； and lifted his hands and
eyes to the ceiling。 I was not in the least impressed by that
solemn appeal to the unseen powers of arithmetic and money。 I
insisted positively on being fed with more information。
〃Listen to this；〃 I went on； reading from Benjamin's notes。 〃What
did Dexter mean whe