t was a handsome
room, and was evidently used as a Boardroom as well as an office, for
there was a long table in the middle, surrounded by at least a dozen
chairs. At the furthest end a gentleman of venerable appearance was
seated. He rose as I entered, and bowed to me.

"In what way can I be of service to you, Mr. Fairfax?" he inquired,
after I had seated myself.

"I am afraid there has been a mistake," I answered, looking about me for
Mr. Bayley. "I told the clerk that I desired to see the managing
director."

"You _are_ seeing him," he returned with a smile, "for I am he."

"In that case I must have misunderstood the gentleman who called upon me
two days ago," I replied, with some surprise.

"Do I understand you to say that a gentleman from this office called
upon you?"

"Yes, a Mr. Bayley, a tall, good-looking man, of between thirty-eight
and forty years of age."

The old gentleman stared, as well he might.

"But there is no Mr. Bayley here," he said. "We have no one of that name
in our employ. I fear the man, whoever he was, must have been playing a
trick upon you. I sincerely trust he has done no damage. Might I ask
what he called upon you about?"

"He called on me on behalf of your Company," I answered. "He informed me
that for some time past you have ascertained the gravest suspicions
concerning the manager of your mines in the Argentine. He said that
information had reached your ears to the effect that the man in question
was in league with a notorious swindler in New York, and, though you
could not bring any proved charge against him, you were equally certain
that he was robbing you in order to fill his own pockets. He appeared to
be most anxious to persuade me to go to the Republic at once in order
that I might inquire into matters and report to you. I was to be away
three months, and was to be paid five thousand pounds and my expenses
for my trouble."

"My good sir, this is really preposterous," the old gentleman returned.
"I can positively assure you that there is not a word of truth in his
assertion. Our manager in the Argentine is an old and valued friend, and
I would stake my life on his fidelity. Nothing would induce us to think
even of sending a detective out to spy upon him."

"I am beginning to believe that I should like to meet Mr. Bayley again,"
I remarked. "He has a fine imagination, and, from what you tell me, it
seems that I should have looked a fool had I gone out to South America