Ted stared at Mr. Ludgrove, and the incredulous expression of his face turned slowly to one of mingled amazement and horror. “Why, yes,” he stammered. “Dad had a box of white bone counters just like the one I saw. He used to ask his friends in to play some card game, in which these counters were used. I haven’t seen them for a couple of years or more.”

Again there was a silence, broken by something that sounded like a sob from Ivy. Ted turned towards her with a despairing gesture. “It isn’t true!” he exclaimed. “I can’t explain it, but it isn’t true! Dad couldn’t have done it. Why should he? There’s some terrible mystery behind all this. I shall never believe that poor dad had anything to do with it. Why was he killed himself, if he had?”

He turned appealingly to Mr. Ludgrove. “You don’t believe it yourself, do you?” he said.