of course, poor, dear old chap; but--well, Heaven
tempers all things with its mercy. The rascal did not die an only son.
There's another now, born three months ago. The longer I live the more
sure I become that straight living always pays, and that Heaven never
forgets to punish and to reward."

"Ten years of Scotland Yard have enabled me to endorse that statement
emphatically," replied Narkom. "'The riddle of the ninth finger' was no
different in that respect from nine hundred other riddles that have come
my way since I took office. Now sit down, old chap, and let us take up
the present case. But I say, Cleek, speaking of rewards reminds me of
what I wrote you. There's very little chance of one in this affair. All
the parties connected with it are in very moderate circumstances. The
sculptor fellow, Van Nant, who figures in it, was quite well to do at
one time, I believe, but he ran through the greater part of his money,
and a dishonest solicitor did him out of the rest. Miss Morrison herself
never did have any, and, as I have told you, the captain hasn't anything
in the world but his pension; and it takes every shilling of that to
keep them. In the circumstances, I'd have made it a simple 'Yard'
affair, chargeable to the Government, and put one of the regular staff
upon it. But it's such an astounding, such an unheard-of thing, I knew
you'd fairly revel in it. And besides, after all the rewards you _have_
won you must be quite a well-to-do man by this time, and able to indulge
in a little philanthropy."

Cleek smiled.

"I will indulge in it, of course," he said, "but not for that reason,
Mr. Narkom. I wonder how much it will surprise you to learn that, at
the present moment, I have just one hundred pounds in all the world?"

"My dear fellow!" Narkom exclaimed with a sort of gasp, staring at him
in round-eyed amazement. "You fairly take away my breath. Why, you must
have received a fortune since you took up these special cases. Fifty or
sixty thousand pounds at the smallest calculation."

"More! To be precise, I have received exactly seventy-two thousand
pounds, Mr. Narkom. But, as I tell you, I have to-day but one hundred
pounds of that sum left. Lost in speculation? Oh, dear no! I've not
invested one farthing in any scheme, company, or purchase since the
night you gave me my chance and helped me to live an honest life."

"Then in the name of Heaven, Cleek, what has become of the money?"

"It has gone in the c