ised to find him absent when I called for him. At this
time I was liable to be unduly excited by almost anything, and as his
absence continued hour after hour, I lashed myself into a condition
of wild anxiety. I was convinced that nothing but his interest for my
welfare could have kept him away from me so long, and I was certain in
my own mind that he had found a clew of some sort. It was seven o'clock
in the evening when he came back at last, and my first glance at his
face told me that something of importance had transpired.

"Where have you been all day?" I asked.

"Do you think, sir," Hinge returned, with a face and voice of
mystery--"do you think, sir, as you'll be able to get about to-morrow?
If you can, I'll show you something."

"Speak out plainly and at once, there's a good fellow," I responded.

"Well, sir," said Hinge, "I've found out something." He was like a
narrow-necked bottle whenever he had anything which he was eager to
communicate, and I knew by experience that it was worse than useless to
try to hasten the stream he had to give.

"Give me my pipe," I said, "and get on as fast as you can."

"I've found out something," Hinge repeated. "I've been surprised in my
time, sir, but I never was knocked so much of a heap as I have been this
afternoon." I lit my pipe and waited for him, controlling impatience as
best I might. "Now who in the name of wonder, sir," said Hinge, "do you
think is down here colloguing together?"

"How should I know?" I asked, groaning with impatience.

"I was a-walking up the 'ill, sir," said Hinge, "towards the Star and
Garter this morning, just to get a breath of fresh air, when you told
me as I might go out for half an hour. You remember as you'd given me
leave, sir?"

"Yes, yes!" I answered. "Go on with your story."

"Well, sir," said Hinge, "you might have knocked me over with a feather,
for coming down the 'ill arm in arm I see the Honorable Mr. Brunow and
that there Sacovitch. They was talking together that interested they
didn't notice me. Now Mr. Brunow, 'e knows me, sir, if Sacovitch
doesn't, and I thought, after all as had happened, it might be worth my
while to see what they was up to and not to be seen myself; so I just
slips off the roadway behind a house as is a-build-ing on the right-'and
side, and right in front of me they stops. I could hear 'em talking,
but I couldn't make out what they was a-saying, till all of a sudden Mr.
Brunow says, ''Ere she is,' '