ut, with no further remark. And
presently the junior clerk, with the aid of a few wafers, fixed the
announcement in the window which looked out on the Market-Place, and
people began to gather round and to read it, and, after the usual
fashion of country-born folk, then went away to talk about it. In half
an hour it was known in every shop and tavern parlour in Scarnham
Market-Place that despite the town-crier's announcement, and the wild
rumours of the night before, Chestermarke's Bank was all right, and
Chestermarkes were already speaking of Horbury in the past tense--he was
(wherever he might be) no longer the manager of that ancient concern; he
was the late manager.

At ten o'clock Superintendent Polke, bluff and cheery as usual, and
Detective-Sergeant Starmidge, eyeing his new surroundings with
appreciative curiosity, strolled round the corner from the
police-station and approached the bank. Half a dozen loungers were
gathered before the window, reading the poster; the two police officials
joined them and also read--in silence. Then, with a look at each other,
they turned into the door which Patten had just opened. Neale hurried to
the counter to meet them.

"Well, Mr. Neale," said Polke, as if he had called on the most ordinary
business, "we'll just have a word with your principals, if they please.
A mere interchange of views, you know: we shan't keep 'em."

"They don't want bothering," whispered Neale, bending over the counter.
"Shan't I do instead?"

"No, sir!" answered Polke. "Nothing but principals will do! Here,
Starmidge, give Mr. Neale one of your official cards."

Neale took the card and disappeared into the parlour, where he laid it
before Gabriel.

"Mr. Polke is with him, sir," he said. "They say they won't detain you."

Gabriel tossed the card over to his nephew with a look of inquiry:
Joseph sneered at it, and threw it into a waste-paper basket.

"Tell them we don't wish to see them," he answered. "We----"

"Stop a bit!" interrupted Gabriel. "I think perhaps we'd better see
them. We may as well see them, and have done with it. Bring them in,
Neale."

Polke and Starmidge, presently entering, found themselves coldly
greeted. Gabriel made the slightest inclination of his head, in response
to Polke's salutation and the detective's bow: Joseph pointedly gave no
heed to either.

"Well?" demanded the senior partner.

"We've just called, Mr. Chestermarke, to hear if you've anything to say
to us