Home Office for permission to open the Chamberlayne
grave at Market Milcaster; the second was that on the following morning
there appeared in the _Watchman_ a notice which set half the mouths of
London a-watering. That notice; penned by Spargo, ran as follows:--

"ONE THOUSAND POUNDS REWARD.

"WHEREAS, on some date within the past twelve months, there was
stolen, abstracted, or taken from the chambers in Fountain Court,
Temple, occupied by Mr. Stephen Aylmore, M.P., under the name of Mr.
Anderson, a walking-stick, or stout staff, of foreign make, and of
curious workmanship, which stick was probably used in the murder of
John Marbury, or Maitland, in Middle Temple Lane, on the night of
June 21-22 last, and is now in the hands of the police:

"This is to give notice that the Proprietor of the _Watchman_
newspaper will pay the above-mentioned reward (ONE THOUSAND POUNDS
STERLING) at once and in cash to whosoever will prove that he or she
stole, abstracted, or took away the said stick from the said chambers,
and will further give full information as to his or her disposal of
the same, and the Proprietor of the _Watchman_ moreover engages to
treat any revelation affecting the said stick in the most strictly
private and confidential manner, and to abstain from using it in any
way detrimental to the informant, who should call at the _Watchman_
office, and ask for Mr. Frank Spargo at any time between eleven and
one o'clock midday, and seven and eleven o'clock in the evening."

"And you really expect to get some information through that?" asked
Breton, who came into Spargo's room about noon on the day on which the
promising announcement came out. "You really do?"

"Before today is out," said Spargo confidently. "There is more magic in
a thousand-pound reward than you fancy, Breton. I'll have the history
of that stick before midnight."

"How are you to tell that you won't be imposed upon?" suggested Breton.
"Anybody can say that he or she stole the stick."

"Whoever comes here with any tale of a stick will have to prove to me
how he or she got the stick and what was done with the stick," said
Spargo. "I haven't the least doubt that that stick was stolen or taken
away from Aylmore's rooms in Fountain Court, and that it got into the
hands of--"

"Yes, of whom?"

"That's what I want to know in some fashion. I've an idea, already. But
I can afford to wait for definite information. I know one thing--when I
get that informa