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Rh or Cardinal Newman by the throat, and it was that woman.”

She looked hastily round.

“When you thought that the chimney was on fire, I was burning muslin,” she said.

“When you thought the chimney was on fire, I was burning every copy of ‘Todd’s News,’" said he. "Also a copy of the ‘Daily Mirror,’ which contained the case. It belonged to the Colonel. I stole it.”

She put her hand through his arm.

“Let’s get home,” she said. “We must talk it over. No one knows one word except you and me!”

“Not one, my dear,” said Robert cordially. “But there are suspicions. Georgie suspects, for instance. He saw me buy all the copies of ‘Todd’s News,’ at least he was hanging about. Tonight he was clearly on the track of something, though he gave us a very tolerable dinner.”

They went into Robert’s study: it was cold, but neither felt it, for they glowed with excitement and enterprise.

“That was a wonderful stroke of yours, Robert,” said she. “It was masterly: it saved the situation. The ‘Daily Mirror,’ too: how right you were to steal it. A horrid paper I always thought. Yes, Georgie suspects something, but luckily he doesn’t know what he suspects.”

“That’s why we both said we had just heard from that woman,” said Robert.

“Of course. You haven’t got a copy of ‘Todd’s News,’ have you?”