etimes on purpose to deceive. I should have said that these two
were foreigners, the same kidney as the poor chap as was murdered.
I heard a word or two pass, and I sort of gathered that they'd a
shrewd idea as to that meeting in the 'Black Post' between the man
who was murdered and the little dark fellow."

Laverick nodded.

"Jim Shepherd," he declared, "you appear to me to be a very
sagacious person."

"I'm sure I'm much obliged, sir; I can tell you, though," he added,
"I don't half like these chaps coming round making inquiries. My
nerves ain't quite what they were, and it gives me the jumps."

Laverick was thoughtful for a few moments.

"After all, there was no one else in the bar that night," he
remarked,--"no one who could contradict you?"

"Not a soul," Jim Shepherd agreed.

"Then don't you bother," Laverick continued. "You see, you've been
wise. You haven't given yourself away altogether. You've simply
said that you don't recollect any one coming in. Why should you
recollect? At the end of a day's work you are not likely to notice
every stray customer. Stick to it, and, if you take my advice,
don't go throwing any money about, and don't give your notice in
for another week or so. Pave the way for it a bit. Ask the governor
for a rise--say you're not making a living out of it."

"I'm on," Jim Shepherd remarked, nodding his head. "I'm on to it,
sir. I don't want to get into no trouble, I'm sure."

"You can't," Laverick answered dryly, "unless you chuck yourself in.
You're not obliged to remember anything. No one can ever prove that
you remembered anything. Keep your eyes open, and let me hear if
these fellows turn up again."

"I'm pretty certain they will, sir," the man declared. "They sat
about waiting for me to be disengaged, but when my time off came, I
hopped out the back way. They'll be there again to-night, sure
enough."

Laverick nodded.

"Well, you must let me know," he said, "what happens."

Jim Shepherd leaned across the corner of the table and dropped his
voice.

"It's an awful thing to think of, sir," he whispered, blinking
rapidly. "I wouldn't be that young Mr. Morrison for all that great
pocketful of notes. But my! there was a sight of money there,
sir! He'll be a rich man for all his days if nothing comes out."

"We won't talk any more about it," Laverick insisted. "It isn't a
pleasant thing to think about or talk about. We won't know anything,
Shepherd. We