getting
yourself into trouble.'

When they arrived at the house Easton opened the door, and after making
some entries in his note-book the officer went away, much to the relief
of Easton, who went upstairs, set the hands of the clock right and
started it going again. He then removed his overcoat and lay down on
the bed in his clothes, covering himself with the quilt. After a while
he fell asleep, and when he awoke the clock was still ticking.

The time was exactly seven o'clock.

Chapter 4

The Placard

Frank Owen was the son of a journeyman carpenter who had died of
consumption when the boy was only five years old. After that his
mother earned a scanty living as a needle-woman. When Frank was
thirteen he went to work for a master decorator who was a man of a type
that has now almost disappeared, being not merely an employer but a
craftsman of a high order.

He was an old man when Frank Owen went to work for him. At one time he
had had a good business in the town, and used to boast that he had
always done good work, had found pleasure in doing it and had been well
paid for it. But of late years the number of his customers had
dwindled considerably, for there had arisen a new generation which
cared nothing about craftsmanship or art, and everything for cheapness
and profit. From this man and by laborious study and practice in his
spare time, aided by a certain measure of natural ability, the boy
acquired a knowledge of decorative painting and design, and graining
and signwriting.

Frank's mother died when he was twenty-four, and a year afterwards he
married the daughter of a fellow workman. In those days trade was
fairly good and although there was not much demand for the more
artistic kinds of work, still the fact that he was capable of doing
them, if required, made it comparatively easy for him to obtain
employment. Owen and his wife were very happy. They had one child--a
boy--and for some years all went well. But gradually this state of
things altered: broadly speaking, the change came slowly and
imperceptibly, although there were occasional sudden fluctuations.

Even in summer he could not always find work: and in winter it was
almost impossible to get a job of any sort. At last, about twelve
months before the date that this story opens, he determined to leave
his wife and child at home and go to try his fortune in London. When
he got employment he would send for them.

It was a vain h