ly that he's to be
found at Conduit Street--very, very rarely indeed--he's a clever manager
there, who sees everybody and does everything. And I know that he's
quite two-thirds of his time away from his own house--so, of course,
he's got to put it in somewhere else."

"His own house!" said Starmidge, catching at an idea which presented
itself. "You know where he lives in London, then, Mr. Castlemayne?"

"Do I know where my own mother lives!" exclaimed the lessee. "I should
think I do! He's a neighbour of mine--lives close by me, up Primrose
Hill way. Nice little bachelor establishment he has--Oakfield Villa.
Spent many an evening there with him--Sunday evenings, of course. Oh,
yes--I know all about him--as Godwin Markham. Bless me!--so he's a
country banker, is he? And mixed up in this affair, eh? Gosh!--I hope
you'll find out that he murdered his manager, and that you'll be able to
hang him--I'd treat the town to a free show if you could hang him in
public on my stage, I would, indeed!"

"You were going to tell us something, sir?" suggested Easleby.
"Something that you thought might help us."

"I hope it will help you--and me, too!" responded Castlemayne, who was
obviously incensed and truculent. "'Pon my honour, when I got your
cards, I wondered if I'd been sleep-walking last night, and had gone and
done for this man--I really did! It was all I could do to keep from
punching his nose last night in the open street, and I left him feeling
very bad indeed! It's this way--I dare say you know that men like me,
in this business, want a bit of financing when we start. All right!--we
do, like most other people. Now, when I thought of taking up the lease
of this spot, a few years ago, I wanted money. I knew this man Markham
as a neighbour, and I mentioned the matter to him, not knowing then he
was the Markham of Conduit Street. He let me know who he was, then, and
he offered to do things privately--no need to go to his office, do you
see? And--he found me in necessary capital. And I dare say I signed
papers without thoroughly understanding 'em. And, of course, when you
get into the hands of a fellow like that, it's like putting your foot on
a piece of butter in the street--you're down before you know what's
happened! But I ain't down yet, my boys!" concluded Mr. Castlemayne,
drinking off the contents of his glass, and replenishing it. "And damme
if I'm going to be, without a bit of a fight for it, that I ain't!"

"Putting