CHAPTER XX

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_ The room was a big one and most of the furniture had been cleared
out to admit the guests who had come from the ends of the earth to
learn the story of the twisted candles, and to test John Lexman's
theory by their own.

They sat around chatting cheerfully of men and crimes, of great
coups planned and frustrated, of strange deeds committed and
undetected. Scraps of their conversation came to Belinda Mary as
she stood in the chintz-draped doorway which led from the
drawing-room to the room she used as a study.

". . . do you remember, Sir George, the Bolbrook case! I took the
man at Odessa . . . ."

". . . the curious thing was that I found no money on the body,
only a small gold charm set with a single emerald, so I knew it
was the girl with the fur bonnet who had . . ."

". . . Pinot got away after putting three bullets into me, but I
dragged myself to the window and shot him dead - it was a real
good shot . . . !"

They rose to meet her and T. X. introduced her to the men. It was
at that moment that John Lexman was announced.

He looked tired, but returned the Commissioner's greeting with a
cheerful mien. He knew all the men present by name, as they knew
him. He had a few sheets of notes, which he laid on the little
table which had been placed for him, and when the introductions
were finished he went to this and with scarcely any preliminary
began. _

Read next: CHAPTER XXI

Read previous: CHAPTER XIX

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