our decision
to-morrow night. You will find me in the saloon bar of the
King Lud, in Ludgate Hill, at eight o'clock. Do not speak to
me there, but show yourself, and then wait outside until I
join you. Have a care that you are not followed. That hawk
Ambler Jevons has scent of us. Therefore, remain dumb and
watchful--Z."_

"That's curious," I remarked. "Whoever wrote that letter was inciting
Lane to conspiracy, and at the same time held you in fear, Ambler."

My companion laughed again--a quiet self-satisfied laugh. Then he
commenced the second letter, type-written like the first, but
evidently upon another machine.

_"Dear Lane,--Your terms seem exorbitant. I quite understand
that at least four or five of you must be in the affair, but
the price asked is ridiculous. Besides, I didn't like
Bennett's tone when he spoke to me yesterday. He was almost
threatening. What have you told him? Recollect that each of
us knows something to the detriment of the other, and even
in these days of so-called equality the man with money is
always the best. You must contrive to shut Bennett's mouth.
Give him money, if he wants it--up to ten pounds. But, of
course, do not say that it comes from me. You can, of
course, pose as my friend, as you have done before. I shall
be at the usual place to-night.--Z."_

"Looks as though there's been some blackmailing," one of the
constables remarked. "Who's Bennett?"

"I expect that's Bobby Bennett who works in the Meat Market," replied
the atom of a man who had accosted us at Aldgate. "He was a friend of
Lanky's, and a bad 'un. I've 'eard say that 'e 'ad a record at the Old
Bailey."

"What for?"

"'Ousebreakin'."

"Is he working now?" Ambler inquired.

"Yes. I saw 'im in Farrin'don Street yesterday."

"Ah!" remarked the constable. "We shall probably want to have a chat
with him. But the chief mystery is the identity of the writer of these
letters. At all events it is evident that this poor man Lane knew
something to his detriment, and was probably trying to make money out
of that knowledge."

"Not at all an unusual case," I said.

Jevons grunted, and appeared to view the letters with considerable
satisfaction. Any documentary evidence surrounding a case of
mysterious death is always of interest. In this case, being of such a
suspicious nature, it was doubly so.

"_Are you quite decided no