"We thought you would help us," Hetty said.
"I am probably the only man in the world who can help you," Lawrence replied. "To a certain extent I seem to have got you into this mess, and I must get you out of it. My dear young people, I am going to astonish you presently. Now, all I know up to now is that these notes have been traced to Bruce, and that, by a dreadful coincidence, he actually was one of the last people to see the murdered man before the tragedy. His little part Bruce has already told me, but I purposely asked no details. He has not yet informed me how the notes really reached his pocket, because the assumption that he stole them is ridiculous."
"Thank you for that," Bruce said gratefully.
"Nonsense, my dear fellow. Now let me open your eyes. Behold the great force of a man who is gifted with second sight. Where did you get those notes? Was it not on the same evening as the murder?"
Bruce nodded. He was beginning to have some feeling of hope.
"Score one to me. Recently you bought some article of value. Say it was a piece of Battersea china or a Chippendale chair, an engraving after Reynolds, or a picture. On the whole I am inclined to suggest a picture of the Dutch school with a history."
Lawrence's eyes fairly beamed as he spoke.
"Another one to you," said Bruce. "I did buy an old Dutch picture recently. But how on earth you managed----"
"Never mind that yet. I didn't get this information from you. Behold the picture! You are sitting in your room on the night previous to the murder--a few hours before it in fact. Enter to you a more or less picturesque individual who tells you a story of a picture. It is an heirloom in his family. The family have had to part with it in their dark days. Now the same picturesque individual has become rich. Imagine his delight when he sees this family treasure in a shop window."
"Amazing," Bruce cried. "That is exactly what did happen. But how could you possibly have known that considering that until an hour ago not a soul knew of it, not even Hetty!"