Next day at twelve o'clock Durham went back to Hurseton to see Mrs. Gilroy. She alone could relate the true story of the night. But before he left Bernard he related an incident about which he had forgotten to tell him on the previous night.  
"Did you ever see your Uncle Guiseppe Tolomeo?" he asked.
 
"Several times," replied Bernard, with no very pleased expression. "I assisted him with money."
 
"He is the kind of person who will always have to be assisted," was the lawyer's reply. "I fear he is a scamp, old fellow."
 
"So my grandfather said. I don't think he is a good man myself. All the same he was my mother's brother, and I must assist him."
 
"He'll give you every opportunity to do so," said Durham, dryly. "I had a visit from him the other day?"
 
"What did he want?"
 
"His errand was similar to that of Mrs. Gilroy's. He wished to know if Sir Simon had made any provision for him in the will. I don't know on what grounds he based his claim, as your grandfather hated him. But he evidently expected to be remembered. I told him he would get nothing, and then with true Italian excitability he began to that you had not lived, saying you would have helped him."
 
"I shall certainly do that. He is my uncle when all is said and done. What is he doing?"
 
"Playing the violin in some orchestra. The fellow is a gentleman, Bernard, but a thorough scamp. Since he can earn his own bread I don't think it is wise for you to let him live on your money."
 
"There's no chance at present of my letting him believe I will allow that," said , rather dolefully. "What else did he say?"
 
"Rather a strange thing. He said that he told Sir Simon that the Red Lamp would not bring you."
 
"The Red Window, you mean. My uncle knew about that one at the Hall. When my mother was alive, and staying—as she did for a time— with Sir Simon, she used to put a light in the Red Window so as to tell Tolomeo that she would meet him in the garden on that evening. The window is visible through a long avenue, and can easily be seen from the road which runs past the grounds. My poor mother used it as a signal to her brother, as Lucy used it as a signal to me. And I believe that in days gone by—in Charles the First's days—it was used in a like manner to warn loyal cavaliers."
 
"Tolomeo did not say the Red Window," replied Durham, wrinkling his brows, "but the Red Lamp, which makes me think he must have been with Sir Simon on that fatal evening."
 
Bernard looked up alertly, and his brow grew dark. "How do you make that out?"
 
"Well," said Durham, after a pause, "I questioned Jane Riordan again about the possibility of there having been a red light visible!"
 
"There was," interrupted Gore, decisively. "I saw it myself."
 
"And Mrs. Webber saw it, although afterwards it disappeared. Well, Jane told me that there was a lamp on the table in front of the window. She saw it when she went up with the cook and Miss Randolph."
 
"I remember. I was in the grip of the policeman then," said Gore.
 
"Well, it is strange, seeing that the apartment was lighted by electricity, that a lamp should have stood in front of the window."
 
"What do you infer?" asked Bernard, doubtfully and uneasily.
 
"This much. Your cousin told Sir Simon about the use she made of the Red Window—your cousin Miss Randolph, I mean—and when she was at the Curtain Theatre with Beryl, I believe he put the lamp in the window to attract you."
 
"Had the lamp a red glass?"
 
"No. But a red bandana handkerchief such as Sir Simon used might have been stretched across the window. I daresay he did it."
 
"But he didn't know that I knew the house," objected Gore.
 
"True enough, unless"—here Durham hesitated—"unless it was your grandfather who sent Jerry Moon to you to the square."
 
"No! Judas—as Conniston calls him—is Beryl's tool. I would rather believe that Beryl placed the red handkerchief across the window."
 
"There was no handkerchief found," said Durham. "Mrs. Webber saw the red light, yet when Beryl went out to look for it he could see none, neither could she. What do you infer from that, Bernard?"
 
"That the handkerchief must have been removed in [pg 186]the meanwhile by Beryl. No," Bernard , "not by Beryl; Mrs. Gilroy prevented him going up the stairs. But Lucy, the cook and Jane Riordan went up;—one of them must have removed the handkerchief. I tell you what, Mark," added Bernard, thoughtfully, "it was Lucy who placed the lamp by the window and stretched the handkerchief across it."
 
"We don't know that a handkerchief was so stretched," said Durham.
 
"It must have been to cause the red light," insisted Gore. "Lucy always had the idea of the Red Window. She was then friendly with Beryl, and she might have made use of Jerry Moon to bring me to the square in the hope that, seeing the red light, I might venture into the house and interview my grandfather."
 
"Well," said Durham, rising, "we will ask Miss Randolph. Also we can question this young Judas, who is now with Miss Plantagenet."
 
Bernard did not answer. With his head on his hand he was pondering deeply. "One thing I can't understand," he said, after a pause: "Why do you connect my Uncle Guiseppe with the Red Window?"
 
"I don't, but with the Red Lamp. In this especial instance, for lack of red glass a lamp was used. It was not the ordinary of the room, remember. Now, Tolomeo must have been in the room, and he must have seen the lamp to make use of such an expression."
 
"So you believe he was with Sir Simon when Lucy and Beryl were at the theatre?"
 
"Yes," said Durham, looking directly at Gore, "and Tolomeo is Italian."
 
Bernard jumped up . "Do you mean to hint that Tolomeo may have strangled my grandfather?"
 
"Yes, I do. Tolomeo may have come to see him—indeed, he must have done so to make use of such an expression as the 'Red Lamp.' The two quarrelled, and perhaps your uncle, losing his temper——"
 
"No, no! I can't believe that," said Gore, walking anxiously to and fro. "Tolomeo is wild but not wicked."
 
"That depends on what you call wicked," said Durham, dryly, and preparing to take his leave. "However, we can leave this clue, if clue it is, alone at present. What I have to do is to question Mrs. Gilroy about her son. Also I may see Miss Randolph and Jerry Moon. But of one thing I am certain, Bernard: your grandfather had several visitors during that evening. Your half-brother Michael came, also your uncle. One of the two——"
 
"No! I would rather believe Mrs. Gilroy strangled the old man herself."
 
"She is quite capable of doing so," said Durham, coolly, "but I do not think she did. His death was unfortunate for her schemes; he was of more value to her alive than dead. But it might be that Michael killed Sir Simon, and that Mrs. Gilroy is using you as a . However, I learn the truth from her to-day."
 
"If that theory is correct, Tolomeo——"
 
"Is innocent, quite so. We'll give him the benefit of the doubt. But I want to know what he was doing with Sir Simon on that evening. He may be able to tell us something if he is innocent himself."
 
Gore . "It is a most involved case," he said hopelessly.
 
"I quite agree with you. We have a long dark road to travel before we come to the light. However"—Durham clapped Bernard on the back—"keep up your spirits. If time, and money, and friendship can put you right, Conniston and I will see the thing through. Meantime, as Miss Malleson is coming here this day, make yourself happy and don't worry."
 
"You might as well put the kettle on the fire and say don't boil."
 
Durham his shoulders and said no more. What with his and anxiety, Bernard was growing , and his only cure lay in the truth being discovered. Therefore Durham set out to discover it from Mrs. Gilroy, and left the young man to his by no means pleasant .
 
The day was fine and cold, with much sunshine and no mist. Bernard went out for a walk on the small spot of dry ground on which the castle is built. Victoria complained to him that she had all the work to do. Since Mrs. Moon had learned "Kings" she would do nothing but play the game. Bernard laughed, and saw the , telling her again of the expected arrival of the two ladies.
 
"You had better get a good ready," he said.
 
"I'll try," sighed the giantess; "but that game lies heavy on my conscience. I'm bound to do it at least once, Mr. Grant." She gave Gore his false name in all . "I do wish, sir, you hadn't taught me the game."
 
"Never mind, you'll do it some day," said Bernard, .
 
Mrs. Moon moaned and and went to prepare lun............