how it is that you have been able to locate the gentleman in
question. This morning you must remember you had no sort of
remembrance of him."

"In that case you must forgive me," he replied. "As a matter of fact I
was so much carried away by my excitement that I could think of nothing
else. However, I have promised you the story, and you shall have it.
Some years ago, eight or ten perhaps, we had a young man working for us
in the Argentine as an overseer. He was in many respects a brilliant
young fellow, and would doubtless have done well for himself in time,
had he been able to go straight. Unfortunately, however, he did not do
so. He went from bad to worse. At last he was caught in a flagrant piece
of dishonesty, and was immediately discharged. When I tell you that that
young man had a mark such as you described upon his cheek, you may be
able to derive some idea of what follows."

"Might it not be a pure coincidence?" I replied.

"Not in this case, I fancy," he answered. "What makes me the more
inclined to believe that it is the same individual, is the fact that our
secretary met him in Leadenhall Street only a few days ago. He looked
older, but had evidently prospered in the world. As a matter of fact,
Warner described him as being irreproachably dressed, and turned out. I
trust his good fortune was honestly come by; but I must own, from what I
know of him, that I have my doubts."

"But what possible reason could this individual have for calling upon
me, and why should he have made me such an offer as I have described
to you?"

The director shook his head. The question was evidently beyond him.

"I can assign no sort of reason for it," he said, "unless he has some
hope of being able to get you out of England for a time."

"I don't see how that could benefit him," I replied. "I am connected
with no case in which he has any sort of interest."

"You never can tell," the old gentleman replied. "From what I know of
him, Gideon Hayle was always----"

"Gideon what?" I cried, springing to my feet. "Did I understand you to
say Gideon Hayle?"

"That's the name of the young man of whom I have been speaking to you,"
he replied. "But what makes you so excited."

"Because I can understand everything now?" I declared. "Good heavens!
what an idiot I have been not to have seen the connection before! Now I
know why Gideon Hayle tried to lure me out of England with his
magnificent offer. Now I see why he set these roughs