at all hours is a fascinating study to me, and however
much I see of her, I never tire of watching her moods. After I left my
hotel I strolled along the Embankment so far as the Houses of
Parliament, passed the Abbey, made my way down Victoria Street, and then
by way of Grosvenor Place to Hyde Park Corner. Opposite Apsley House I
paused to look about me. I had my reasons for so doing, for ever since I
had left the river-side, I had entertained the notion that I was being
followed. When I had crossed the road at the Houses of Parliament, two
men, apparently of the loafer class, had crossed too. They had followed
me up Victoria Street, and now, as I stood outside the Duke of
Wellington's residence, I could see them moving about on the other side
of the way. What their intentions were I could not say, but that their
object was to spy upon my movements, I was quite convinced. In order to
assure myself of this fact I resolved to lay a little trap for them.
Passing down Piccadilly at a sharp pace, I turned into Berkeley Street,
some twenty yards or so ahead of them. Crossing the road I sheltered
myself in a doorway and waited. I had not been there very long, before I
observed that they had turned the corner and were coming along in hot
pursuit. That they did not notice me in my hiding-place is evident from
the fact that they passed on the other side of the street, and doubtless
thinking that they had missed me, commenced to run. I thereupon quitted
my friendly doorway, returned to Piccadilly, hailed a cab, and drove
back to my hotel. As I went I turned the matter over in my mind. With
the exception of the present case I had nothing important on hand, so
that I could think of no one who would be likely to set a watch upon me.
That I did not suspect Hayle would only be natural under the
circumstances, as I did not know then that he had been the witness of
Kitwater and Codd's visit to my office that afternoon, and I felt
convinced in my own mind that he was unaware that they were in England.
It was most natural, therefore, that I should not in any way associate
him with the plot.

The following day was spent for the greater part in making further
inquiries in Hatton Garden, and among the various Dutch merchants then
in London. The story the senior partner of Messrs. Jacob and Bulenthall
had told me had proved to be correct, and there could be no sort of
doubt that Hayle had realized a very large sum of money by the
transaction.