t. And yet
he wondered why the idea had not occurred to him before.

"I suppose that you have not made any mistake?" he suggested.

The clerk was properly indignant. He was not there for the purpose of
making mistakes, besides, he had all the particulars entered in his
books.

"So that you can see for yourself," he said. "Look here, if you doubt
me. The entries tally absolutely with the figures you have on that slip
of paper. If there is anything wrong----"

"There is something very wrong indeed," Field admitted, "but that has
nothing to do with you. Do you do a large business in that kind of
stamped paper?"

"Well, rather, though not so large as we did. You see, those stamped
deeds are exclusively used by solicitors; practically, every legal
document is a stamped paper. But, nowadays, a good many lawyers get
their deeds engrossed on plain paper and send them to me to be forwarded
to Somerset House for the stamping."

"I see," Field said, thoughtfully. "In that case, you would have less
difficulty in recognizing anybody who purchased a parchment that was
already stamped? I wonder if you recognized the man who bought the one
we are talking about?"

"Oh, yes," came the ready reply. "The man's name is Acton. He is a law
stationer who does odd jobs for the different firms here. He is quite
broken down and shabby now, but I should say that at one time he was a
gentleman. You will see his business card hanging in a shop window at
the corner of Preston Street--a little news-shop on the right."

"I am greatly obliged to you," Field said. "I see the stamp is a two
pound ten one. Was it paid for in cash or in the form of a note?"

"A note--a L5 Bank of England note. I recollect getting Acton to endorse
it."

Field smiled to himself. Everything seemed to be going in his favour
now. He tendered five sovereigns across the counter and asked the favour
of the L5 note in exchange, which was granted. The note had a blue stamp
on it to the effect that it had been issued by the Wandsworth Branch of
the National and Counties Bank, and to that establishment Field wended
his way.

There a further piece of information awaited him. The note had been paid
out the day before to a messenger who had come from No. 100, Audley
Place, with a cheque drawn in favour of "self" by Mr. Carl Sartoris.
Field could not repress a chuckle. Everything was going on as smoothly
as he could expect.

"And now for Mr. Acton," he said to himself. "I w