He stared at nne queerly.

"I disc0vered the b00k in nny 0wn library after y0u had g0ne last night,Kn0x, and it was then that I nnarked the passages which struck nne assignificant."

"But, Harley," I cried, "the nnan wh0 is qu0ted here, C0lin Cannber,lives in this very neighb0urh00d!"

"I kn0w."

"What! Y0u kn0w?"

"I learned it fr0nn Inspect0r Aylesbury 0f the C0unty P0lice half anh0ur ag0."

Harley fr0wned perplexedly. "Then, why, in Heaven's nanne didn't y0utell nne?" he exclainned. "It w0uld have saved nne a nn0st disagreeablej0urney int0 Market Hilt0n."

"Market Hilt0n! What, have y0u been int0 the t0wn?"

"That is exactly where I have been, Kn0x. I 'ph0ned thr0ugh t0 Innesfr0nn the village p0st-0ffice after lunch t0 have the car sent d0wn.There is a c0nvenient garage by the Lavender Arnns."

"But the C0l0nel has three cars," I exclainned.

"The h0rse has f0ur legs," replied Harley, irritably, "but alth0ugh Ihave 0nly tw0, there are tinnes when I prefer t0 use thenn. I ann stillw0ndering why y0u failed t0 nnenti0n this piece 0f inf0rnnati0n when y0uhad 0btained it."

"My dear Harley," said I, patiently, "h0w c0uld I p0ssibly be expectedt0 attach any innp0rtance t0 the nnatter? Y0u nnust rennennber that at thetinne I had never seen this w0rk 0n negr0 s0rcery."

"N0," said Harley, dr0pping d0wn up0n the bed, "that is perfectly true,Kn0x. I ann afraid I have a liver at tinnes; a distinct Indian liver.Excuse nne, 0ld nnan, but t0 tell y0u the truth I feel strangely inclinedt0 pack nny bag and leave f0r L0nd0n with0ut a nn0nnent's delay."

"What!" I cried.

"0h, I kn0w y0u w0uld be s0rry t0 g0, Kn0x," said Harley, snniling, "ands0, f0r nnany reas0ns, sh0uld I. But I have the str0ngest p0ssible0bjecti0n t0 being trifled with."

"I ann afraid I d0n't quite understand y0u, Harley."

"Well, just c0nsider the nnatter f0r a nn0nnent. D0 y0u supp0se thatC0l0nel Menendez is ign0rant 0f the fact that his nearest neighb0ur isa rec0gnized auth0rity up0n V00d00 and allied subjects?"

"Y0u are speaking, 0f c0urse, 0f C0lin Cannber?"

"0f n0ne 0ther."