ontinued the detective, after a moment's pause; and
a feeling crossed Mr. Carr, that if ever he had a deep man to deal with
it was this one, in spite of his apparent simplicity. "Gorton went down
on his errand for Kedge and Reck, writ in pocket for Mr. Elster; had
boasted he knew him. Can't quite make out whether he did or not; any
rate, served writ on Lord Hartledon by mistake. Lordship made a joke of
it; took up the matter as a brother ought; wrote himself to Kedge and
Reck to get it settled. Brothers quarrelled; day or two, and elder was
drowned, nobody seems to know how. Gorton stopped on, against orders from
Kimberly; said afterwards, by way of excuse, had been served with summons
to attend inquest. Couldn't say much at inquest, or _didn't_; was asked
if he witnessed accident; said 'No,' but some still think he did. Showed
himself at Hartledon afterwards trying to get interview with new lord;
new lord wouldn't see him, and butler turned him out. Gorton in a rage,
went back to inn, got some drink, said he might be able to _make_ his
lordship see him yet; hinted at some secret, but too far gone to know
what he said; began boasting of adventures in Australia. Loose man there,
one Pike, took him in charge, and saw him off by rail for London."

"Yes?" said Mr. Carr, for the speaker had stopped.

"That's pretty near all as far as Gorton goes. Got a clue to an address
in London, where he might be heard of: got it oddly, too; but that's no
matter. Came up again and went to address; could learn nothing; tracked
here, tracked there, both for Gordon and Gorton; found Gorton disappeared
close upon time he was cast adrift by Kimberly. Not in London as far as
can be traced; where gone, can't tell yet. So much done, summed up my
experiences and came here to-day to state them."

"Proceed," said Mr. Carr.

The detective put his note-book in his pocket, and with his elbows still
on the table, pressed his fingers together alternately as he stated his
points, speaking less abruptly than before.

"My conclusion is--the Gordon you spoke to me about was the Gordon who
led the mutiny on board the _Morning Star_; that he never, after that,
came back to England; has never been heard of, in short, by any living
soul in it. That the Gorton employed by Kedge and Reck was another man
altogether. Neither is to be traced; the one may have found his grave in
the sea years ago; the other has disappeared out of London life since
last October, an