he Market-Place for awhile. I drew Hollis's attention
to him, and asked, jocularly, if he had ever seen a more remarkable and
striking countenance? He answered that it was one which, once seen,
would not readily be forgotten. And he had not forgotten it once he saw
the portrait at Markham's office--he knew very well that it was
extremely unlikely that so noticeable a man as Gabriel Chestermarke
could have a double.

"Now, Hollis was a sharp fellow. He immediately began to suspect things.
He talked awhile with Stipp, and contrived to find out that the portrait
over the mantelpiece was that of Godwin Markham. He also found out that
Mr. Godwin Markham was rarely to be found at his office--that there was
no such thing as daily, or even weekly attendance there by him. And
after mutual desires that the Lester affair should be satisfactorily
settled, but without telling Stipp anything about the ten thousand
pounds, he left the office with a promise to call a few days later.

"Next day, certain of what he had discovered, Hollis came down to see
me, and told me all that I have just told you. It did not surprise me as
much as you would think. I knew that for a great many years Gabriel
Chestermarke had spent practically half his time in London--I had always
felt sure that he had a finger in some business there, and I naturally
concluded that he had some sort of a _pied-a-terre_ in London as well.
One fact had always struck me as peculiar--he never allowed letters to
be sent on to him from Scarnham to London. Anything that required his
personal attention had to await his return. So that when I heard all
that Hollis had to tell, I was not so greatly astonished. In fact, the
one thing that immediately occupied my thoughts was--was Joseph
Chestermarke also concerned in the Godwin Markham money-lending
business? He, too, was constantly away in London--or believed to be so.
He, too, never had letters sent on to him. Taking everything into
consideration, I came to the conclusion that Joseph was in all
probability his uncle's partner in the Conduit Street concern, just as
he was in the bank at home.

"Hollis and I walked about the paths in the wood for some time,
discussing this affair. I asked at last what he proposed to do. He
inquired if I thought the Chestermarkes would be keen about preserving
their secret. I replied that in my opinion, seeing that they were highly
respectable country-town bankers, chiefly doing business with
ultr