in the cave and cut Bendigo Redmayne's throat. It was a forgery that
tried to shoot you and missed."

Mr. Ganns took snuff again and continued.

But as the course of his inquiries belong to the terrible
culmination of the mystery and cannot here be told with their just
significance, it will suffice to record that Brendon presently found
his brain reeling before a theory so extravagant that he would
instantly have discredited it from any lesser lips than those of the
famous man who propounded them.

"Mind," concluded Peter, who had spoken without ceasing for nearly
two hours, "I'm not saying that I am right. I'm only saying that,
wild though it sounds, it fits and makes a logical story even
though that story beats all experience. It might have happened; and
if it didn't happen, then I'm damned if I know what did, or what is
happening at this moment. It is a horrible thing, if true; but it's
a beautiful thing from the professional point of view--just as a
cancer, or a battle, or an earthquake can be beautiful when put in a
category outside humanity."

Brendon delayed his answer and his face was racked with many
poignant emotions.

"I can't believe it," he replied at length, in a voice which
indicated the extent of his mental amazement and perturbation; "but
I shall nevertheless do exactly as you direct. That is well within
my power and obviously my duty."