ted in his handing, or sending, the said Luigi a cheque for three
thousand guineas. Let's see if we can't find some trace of it, or some
mention of it, or of previous dealings with Dimambro, amongst Jacob's
papers. I suppose we can get access to everything here at the house,
and down at the office, too, can't we? The probability is that the
transaction with Dimambro was not the first. There must be something,
Selwood--memoranda, letters, receipts--must be!"

But Selwood shook his head and uttered a dismal groan.

"Another of my late employer's peculiarities," he answered, "was that
he never gave or took receipts in what one may call word-of-mouth
transactions! He had a rooted--almost savage--objection to anybody
asking him for a receipt for cash; he absolutely refused to take one if
he paid cash. I've seen him pay several thousand pounds for a purchase
and fling the proffered receipt in the fire in the purchaser's presence.
He used to ask--vehemently!--if you wanted receipts for a loaf of bread
or a pound of beef-steak. I'm afraid we shan't find much of that sort.
As to letters and memoranda, Mr. Herapath had a curious habit which gave
me considerable trouble of mind when I first went to him, though I admit
it was a simple one. He destroyed every letter he ever got as soon as
he'd answered it. And as he insisted on everything being answered there
and then, there's no great accumulation of paper in that way!"

"We'll see what there is, anyhow," said the Professor. "If we could find
something, anything--a mere business card, a letter-heading--that would
give us Dimambro's permanent address, it would be of use. For I'm more
and more convinced that Dimambro was the man who called at the House of
Commons that night, and if it was Burchill who dined with him that same
evening, why, then--but come along, let's have a look at Jacob's desk
in the house here, and after that we'll go down to the estate offices
and see if we can find anything there."

This was a Saturday morning--during the whole of that afternoon and
evening the Professor and Selwood examined every drawer and receptacle
in which Jacob Herapath's papers lay, both at Portman Square and at
Kensington. And, exactly as Selwood had said, there was next to nothing
of a private nature. Papers relating to Parliamentary matters, to
building schemes, to business affairs, there were in plenty, duly filed,
docketed, and arranged, but there was nothing of the sort that
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