as they call 'em there--to wind everything up,
convert everything into cash, for him. Oh, yes!" concluded Triffitt. "He
got the estate, right enough. Not an awful lot, you know--a thousand or
two--perhaps three--but enough to go adventuring with elsewhere."

"You're sure this is the man?" asked Carver.

"As certain as that I'm myself!" answered Triffitt. "Couldn't mistake
him--even if it is nine years ago. It's true I was only a nipper
then--sixteen or so--but I'd all my wits about me, and I was so taken
with him in the dock, and with his theatrical bearing there--he's a fine
hand at posing--that I couldn't forget or mistake him. Oh, he's the man!
I've often wondered what had become of him."

"And now you find out that he's up till recently been secretary to Jacob
Herapath, M.P., and is just now doing dramatic criticism for the
_Magnet_," observed Carver. "Well, Triffitt, what do you make of it?"

Triffitt, who had filled and lighted an old briarwood pipe, puffed
solemnly and thoughtfully for a while.

"Well," he said, "nobody can deny that there's a deep mystery about
Jacob Herapath's death. And knowing what I do about this Bentham or
Burchill, and that he's recently been secretary to Jacob Herapath, I'd
just like to know a lot more. And--I mean to!"

"Got any plan of campaign?" asked Carver.

"I have!" affirmed Triffitt with sublime confidence. "And it's this--I'm
going to dog this thing out until I can go to our boss and tell him that
I can force the hands of the police! For the police are keeping
something dark, my son, and I mean to find out what it is. I got a
quencher this morning from our news editor, but it'll be the last. When
I go back to the office to write out this stuff, I'm going to have that
extremely rare thing with any of our lot--an interview with the old
man."

"Gad!--I thought your old man was unapproachable!" exclaimed Carver.

"To all intents and purposes, he is," assented Triffitt. "But I'll see
him--and today. And after that--but you'll see. Now, as to you, old man.
You're coming in with me at this, of course--not on behalf of your
paper, but on your own. Work up with me, and if we're successful, I'll
promise you a post on the _Argus_ that'll be worth three times what
you're getting now. I know what I'm talking about--unapproachable as our
guv'nor is, I've sized him up, and if I make good in this affair, he'll
do anything I want. Stick to Triffitt, my son, and Triffitt'll see you
all