what you have suggested. It emanated, I presume, from Scotland
Yard?"

"If it had," Mr. Fenwick answered, "no considerations of etiquette
would have intervened at all. I should have felt it my duty to
have revealed at once the fact of your deposit. At the same time,
the inquiry comes from an even more important source,--a source
which cannot be ignored."

Laverick thought for a moment.

"After all, the matter is a very simple one," he declared. "By
four o'clock this afternoon my account shall be within its limits.
You will then automatically restore to me the packet which you hold
on my behalf, and the possession of which seems to embarrass you."

"If you do not mind," the banker answered, "I should be glad if you
would take it with you. It means, I think, a matter of six or
seven thousand pounds added to your overdraft, but as a temporary
thing we will pass that."

"As you will," Laverick assented carelessly. "The charge of those
documents is a trust with me as well as with yourself. I have no
doubt that I can arrange for their being held in a secure place
elsewhere."

The usual formalities were gone through, and Laverick left the bank
with the brown leather pocket-book in his breast-coat pocket.
Arrived at his office, he locked it up at once in his private safe
and proceeded with the usual business of the day. Even with an
added staff of clerks, the office was almost in an uproar. Laverick
threw himself into the struggle with a whole-hearted desire to
escape from these unpleasant memories. He succeeded perfectly. It
was two hours before he was able to sit down even for a moment. His
head-clerk, almost as exhausted, followed him into his room.

"I forgot to tell you, sir," he announced, "that there s a man
outside--Mr. Shepherd was his name, I believe--said he had a small
investment to make which you promised to look after personally. He
would insist on seeing you--said he was a waiter at a restaurant
which you visited sometimes."

"That's all right," Laverick declared. "You can show him in. We'll
probably give him American rails."

"Can't we attend to it in the office for you, sir?" the clerk asked.
"I suppose it's only a matter of a few hundreds."

"Less than that, probably, but I promised the fellow I'd look after
it myself. Send him in, Scropes."

There was a brief delay and then Mr. Shepherd was announced.
Laverick, who was sitting with his coat off, smoking a well-earned
cigarette