r gave Mr. Frederick Hollis ten thousand
pounds?"

"Precisely," replied Starmidge. "It will go far towards clearing up a
good many things."

"I have no doubt Mrs. Lester will tell you readily enough," said the
banker. "In fact, as things are, I should say she'll only be too glad to
give you any information you want. That ten thousand pounds being in
Messrs. Vanderkiste's hands, in Hollis's name, and Hollis being dead,
there will be bother--not serious, of course, but still formal
bother--about recovering it. Very well--Mrs. Lester, who, I may tell
you, is a wealthy customer of ours, lives in the country as a rule, and
I happen to know she's there now. I'll write down her address. Tell her,
by all means, that you have been to see us on the matter."

Starmidge left Mr. Linthwaite talking with the London & Universal
people; he himself, now that he had got the desired information, had no
more to say. Outside the bank he opened the slip of paper which had just
been handed to him, and saw that another journey lay before him. Mrs.
Lester lived at Lowdale Court, near Chesham.

CHAPTER XII

ABOUT CENT PER CENT.

Starmidge, lingering a moment on the steps of the bank to consider
whether he would go straight to Chesham or repair to headquarters for a
consultation with his superior, was suddenly joined by the manager who
had just given him his information.

"You are going down to Lowdale Court?" asked the manager.

"During the morning--yes," answered Starmidge.

"If it will be any help to you," said the manager, "I'll ring up Mrs.
Lester on the telephone, and let her know you're coming. She's rather a
nervous woman and it will pave the way for you if I give you a sort of
introduction. Besides--" here he paused, and looked at the detective
with an inquiring air--"don't you think Mrs. Lester had better be
warned--at once--not to speak of this matter until she's seen you?"

"You think she may be approached?" asked Starmidge.

The manager wagged his head and smiled knowingly.

"I think there's something so very queer about this affair that Mrs.
Lester ought to be seen at once," he said.

"She shall be!" answered Starmidge. "Tell her I'll be down there within
two hours--I'll motor there. Thank you for your suggestion. Now I'll
just run to headquarters and then be straight off."

He hailed a passing taxi-cab and drove to New Scotland Yard, where he
was presently closeted with a high personage in deep and serious