wandering about Ham Common, she having been
misdirected the previous evening by a fool of a railway porter, and not
wishing to disturb the neighbourhood by waking people up at two o'clock
in the morning, which, in Mrs. Tupp's opinion, was sensible of her.

Mrs. Tupp describes the young lady as of agreeable manners, but
looking, naturally, a bit washed out. The lady asked for Mr. Tupp,
explaining that a friend of his was in trouble, which did not in the
least surprise Mrs. Tupp, she herself not holding with Socialists and
such like. Mr. Tupp, on being informed, dressed hastily and went
downstairs, and he and the young lady left the house together. Mr.
Tupp, on being questioned as to the name of his friend, had called up
that it was no one Mrs. Tupp would know, a Mr. Quince--it may have been
Quincey.

Mrs. Tupp is aware that Mr. Parable is also a Socialist, and is
acquainted with the saying about thieves hanging together. But has
worked for Mr. Parable for years and has always found him a most
satisfactory client; and, Mr. Tupp appearing at this point, our
representative thanked Mrs. Tupp for her information and took his
departure.

* * *

Mr. Horatius Condor, Junior, who consented to partake of luncheon in
company with our representative at the Holborn Restaurant, was at first
disinclined to be of much assistance, but eventually supplied our
representative with the following information:

My relationship to Mr. Archibald Quincey, Harcourt Buildings, Temple,
is perhaps a little difficult to define.

How he himself regards me I am never quite sure. There will be days
together when we will be quite friendly like, and at other times he
will be that offhanded and peremptory you might think I was his
blooming office boy.

On Friday morning, the twenty-eighth, I didn't get to Harcourt
Buildings at the usual time, knowing that Mr. Quincey would not be
there himself, he having arranged to interview Mr. Parable for the
Daily Chronicle at ten o'clock. I allowed him half an hour, to be
quite safe, and he came in at a quarter past eleven.

He took no notice of me. For about ten minutes--it may have been
less--he walked up and down the room, cursing and swearing and kicking
the furniture about. He landed an occasional walnut table in the
middle of my shins, upon which I took the opportunity of wishing him
"Good morning," and he sort of woke up, as you might say.

"How did the i