MrQuinnoddedandrepeatedthewords."Forward,"hesaid,andpaused."Orback."

Therewa.s.somethingencouraginginhisvoice.Hisbright,darkeyeswerefixedonMrSatterthwaite.

"Thehandsoftheclockwereputforward,"saidMrSatterthwaite."Weknowthat."

"Werethey?"askedMrQuin.

MrSatterthwaitestaredathim."Doyoumean,"hesaidslowly,"that.i.twasthewatchwhichwasputback?b.u.t.thatdoesn'tmakesense.It'simpossible."

"Notimpossible,"murmuredMrQuin.

"Well-absurd.Towhoseadvantagecouldthatbe?"

"Only,Isuppose,tosomeonewhohada.n.a.libiforthattime."

"Bygad!"criedtheColonel."That'sthetimeyoungDelanguasaidhewastalkingtothekeeper."

"Hetoldusthatveryparticularly,"saidMrSatterthwaite.

Theylookedateachother.Theyhadanuneasyfeelingasofsolidgroundfailingbeneaththeirfeet.Factswentspinninground,turningnewandunexpectedfaces.Andinthecentreofthekaleidoscopewasthedark,smilingfaceofMrQuin.

"Butinthatcase-"beganMelrose-"inthatcase-"

MrSatterthwaite,nimble-witted,finishedhissentenceforhim."It'salltheotherwayround.Aplantjustthesame-butaplantagainstthevalet.Oh,but.i.tcan'tbe!It'simpossible.Whyeachofthemaccusedthemselvesofthecrime."

"Yes,"saidMrQuin."Uptillthenyoususpectedthem,didn'tyou?"Hisvoicewenton,placidanddreamy."Justlikesomethingoutofabook,yousaid,Colonel.Theygottheideathere.It'swhattheinnocentheroandheroinedo.Ofcourseitmadeyouthinktheminnocent-therewastheforceoftraditionbehindthem.MrSatterthwaitehasbeensayingallalongitwaslikesomethingonthestage.Youwerebothright.Itwasn'treal.You'vebeensayingsoallalongwithoutknowingwhatyouweresaying.They'dhavetoldamuchbetterstorythanthatifthey'dwantedtobebelieved."

Thetwomenlookedathimhelplessly.

"Itwouldbeclever,"saidMrSatterthwaiteslowly."Itwouldbediabolicallyclever.AndI'vethoughtofsomethingelse.Thebutlersaidhewentinatseventoshutthewindows-sohemusthaveexpectedthemtobeopen."

"That'sthewayDelanguacamein,"saidMrQuin."HekilledSirJameswithoneblow,andheandshetogetherdidwhattheyhadtodo-"

HelookedatMrSatterthwaite,encouraginghimtoreconstructthescene.Hedidso,hesitatingly.

"Theysmashedtheclockandput.i.tonitsside.Yes.Theyalteredthewatchandsmashedit.Thenhewentoutofthewindow,andshefasteneditafterhim.b.u.t.there'sonethingIdon'tsee.Whybotherwiththewatchatall?Whynotsimplyputbackthehandsoftheclock?"

"Theclockwasalwaysalittleobvious,"saidMrQuin.

"Anyonemighthaveseenthrougharathertransparentdevicelikethat."

"Butsurelythewatchwastoofarfetched.Why,itwaspurechancethatweeverthoughtofthewatch."

"Oh,no,"saidMrQuin."Itwasthelady'ssuggestion,remember."

MrSatterthwaitestaredathim,fascinated.

"Andyet,youknow,"saidMrQuindreamily,"theonepersonwhowouldn'tbelikelytooverlookthewatchwouldbethevalet.Valetsknowbetterthananyonewhattheirmasterscarryintheirpockets.Ifhealteredtheclock,thevaletwouldhavealteredthewatch,too.Theydon'tunderstandhumannature,thosetwo.TheyarenotlikeMrSatterthwaite."

MrSatterthwaiteshookhishead.

"Iwasallwrong,"hemurmuredhumbly."Ithoughtthatyouhadcometosavethem."

"SoIdid,"saidMrQuin."Oh!Notthosetwo-theothers.Perhapsyoudidn'tnoticethelady'smaid?Shewasn'twearingbluebrocade,oractingadramaticpart.Butshe'sreallyaveryprettygirl,andIthinkshelovesthatmanJenningsverymuch.Ithinkthatbetweenyouyou'llbeabletosavehermanfromgettinghanged."

"We'venoproofofanykind,"saidColonelMelroseheavily.

MrQuinsmiled."MrSatterthwaitehas."

"I?"MrSatterthwaitewasastonished.

MrQuinwenton."You'vegotaproofthatthat.w.a.tchwasn'tsmashedinSirJames'spocket.Youcan'tsmashawatchlikethatwithoutopeningthecase.Justtryitandsee.Someonetookthewatchoutandopenedit,setbackthehands,smashedthegla.s.s,andthenshut.i.tandput.i.tback.Theynevernoticedthatafragmentofgla.s.swasmissing."

"Oh!"criedMrSatterthwaite.Hishandflewtohiswaistcoatpocket.Hedrewoutafragmentofcurvedgla.s.s.

Itwashismoment.

"Withthis,"saidMrSatterthwaiteimportantly,"Ishallsaveamanfromdeath."