for me, or it may not. We can't possibly tell. It may be a mystery; it may be
as simple as bread and cheese. The body not being robbed looks interesting,
but he may have been outed by some wretched tramp whom he found sleeping in
the grounds and tried to kick out. It's the sort of thing he would do. Such a
murderer might easily have sense enough to know that to leave the money and
valuables was the safest thing. I tell you frankly, I wouldn't have a hand in
hanging a poor devil who had let daylight into a man like Sig Manderson as a
measure of social protest.'

Sir James smiled at the telephone--a smile of success. 'Come, my boy, you're
getting feeble. Admit you want to go and have a look at the case. You know you
do. If it's anything you don't want to handle, you're free to drop it. By the
by, where are you?'

'I am blown along a wandering wind,' replied the voice irresolutely, 'and
hollow, hollow, hollow all delight.'

'Can you get here within an hour?' persisted Sir James.

'I suppose I can,' the voice grumbled. 'How much time have I?'

'Good man! Well, there's time enough--that's just the worst of it. I've got to
depend on our local correspondent for tonight. The only good train of the day
went half an hour ago. The next is a slow one, leaving Paddington at midnight.
You could have the Buster, if you like'--Sir James referred to a very fast
motor car of his--'but you wouldn't get down in time to do anything tonight.'

'And I'd miss my sleep. No, thanks. The train for me. I am quite fond of
railway travelling, you know; I have a gift for it. I am the stoker and the
stoked. I am the song the porter sings.'