."

With the aid of this book he managed to winnow down the doubtful firms
to five or six. The rest he found were established houses engaged in
legitimate trade, the others being more or less new-comers whose
callings were rather nondescript. By a stroke of good fortune, just
before five o'clock Phillips obtained the assistance of a clerk in a
fruit concern, whose firm was in the block of buildings in which the
club was housed, and the doubtful firms were reduced to two. Standing
outside looking up at the club, the windows of which were now in
darkness, Phillips saw that next door were a couple of windows bearing
on their wire blinds the legend, Jolly & Co. There was a light behind
the blinds, so that the lettering stood out clear and distinct.

"I think I am getting on," Phillips commented. "Now, how am I going to
find out about Jolly & Co.? It is a bit too dangerous to ask casually
for Mr. Jolly. But, stop. Most of the people have left, and it is any
odds the light has been used by the charwoman who is cleaning out the
offices. It won't do any harm to go up and see."

Phillips put his plan into execution. He came at length to the second
floor, and stopped at a door at the end of the passage which led to the
rooms occupied by the Post Club. On the door the name of Jolly & Co. was
painted in white letters. From behind it came the sound of scrubbing.
Phillips entered boldly. The room was furnished as an office. There were
a table and a chair or two, and in a corner an American roll-top desk.
Beside the desk was a telephone which, from its glittering newness, had
not been long erected. Attached to the receiver in the place of the
usual short flex was a cord at least eight or nine feet long. It was a
small matter in itself, but it did not escape Phillips' keen glance. He
wondered what it was for. It was certain that it was not attached to
the receiver by accident.

In one part of the room an old woman was kneeling down scrubbing the
floorcloth.

"Is Mr. Jolly here?" Phillips asked.

"No, sir," was the reply. "He went away early. I saw the key of the
office hanging up soon after half-past three."

Phillips smiled. He was beginning to understand now. There had been
snowstorms most of the afternoon at intervals, and this, no doubt, had
interfered with the campaign against the bookmakers.

"That is very annoying," Phillips said. "I particularly want to see Mr.
Jolly. I have some very important business with him. Can y