n was working well.

Alice Featherstone had given him the first hint of the truth when she
suggested that the packet was somehow connected with his being watched
and Daly's pursuit of Lawrence. Of course it was! The police had not
much ground for suspecting him, but he had come to England without any
obvious business, and if Hulton or his agents had warned them, they
would inquire about strangers from Canada. Then he began to see why
Daly was determined to find Lawrence.

Fred Hulton had been robbed and killed and Daly was implicated in the
crime, if he had not committed it himself. The fellow's first object
was not blackmail; he meant to use his power over Lawrence to ensure
his secrecy. Lawrence was the only person who had seen the murderer.
It could not have been clear if he had mistaken him for the watchman or
not when he went into the pay-office at the factory, and as long as a
doubt remained Lawrence was the greatest danger the gang had to reckon
on. Foster felt sure there was a gang. Admitting all this, one could
understand why Daly meant to find Lawrence, but Foster began to see how
he could make use of the situation.

He had been easily deceived and the plotters no doubt thought him a
fool. Suppose he took advantage of their belief and asked for an
answer to his message or something of the kind? He might by good luck
get a letter or find out enough about them to explain what had happened
in Canada. The vague plan appealed to him strongly. He was savage at
the way he had been tricked, and it would be something to circumvent
the people who had made him a tool. Besides, he could not go to the
police yet: Lawrence's secret must be kept. He must first of all gain
such a hold on Daly as would render him powerless to injure his
comrade. After that, when he knew how far the man was implicated in
the robbery, he could decide what ought to be done. Well, he would go
to Newcastle and see Graham, to whom he had given the packet, but he
might need help and thought he knew where to find it. Getting up with
a quick, resolute movement, he went back to the house.

"I'm going to write to Pete and bring him here," he said to the woman.
"I don't suppose you'll turn me out before he comes."

She gave him a quiet, searching glance, and her husband seemed to leave
the matter to her.

"For a' his poaching, ye'll find Pate an honest man," she answered
meaningly.

"So am I; it's an honest man I want. You have tr