MR. ROBERT POUNDS—“Bob from London”—had come down to Ministerfield with a very specific purpose. The local authorities had found themselves completely baffled in their endeavours to solve the mystery of Mr. Lacey’s death. That he had been wilfully killed admitted of no doubt. Whoever killed him was a criminal, and the law demanded that he should be called upon to answer for his crime. But before the law could compel him to that answer it must capture him. So far the criminal had defied it, and the law wasn’t pleased. With regard to Jim Spedwick there had been divided counsels. All things considered, suspicion against him was justified, but anything like a single tangible proof was lacking, and those who believed in his innocence prevailed. It followed, as a matter of logic, that if Spedwic
