He listened carefully, sipping his tea and munching his toast, while I told him everything. Now and then Madrasia corrected or prompted me a little; between us we gave him all the salient facts and details, down to the visit of Weech and the receipt of the last telegram; Madrasia had the last word.
"And then you came, Mr. Murthwaite! And if you can tell us what it all means, we'll bless you!" she said. "Can you?"
But Murthwaite shook his head, decidedly.
"I can't!" he answered. "Even now it's as much a mystery to me as ever, though I think I see a little gleam of light—a very, very little one. No, I can only tell you what Sperrigoe told me this morning. If I may have another cup of your very excellent tea, and a cigarette with it———"
He waited during a moment's silent reflection, then, leaning back in his chair, and using his cigarette occasionally to point his remarks, he began to address us pretty much as if we constituted a jury.
"The firm of which Sir Charles Sperrigoe is senior partner," he said, "has for many years acted as legal advisers to a very ancient family
