the finish of it. It come, sir, and it come sooner than I expected. They
drives back about four o'clock, just as it was beginning to get towards
dusk, and they leaves the carriage at the Star and Garter, and they
all walks down the 'ill together, the two ladies in front and the two
gentlemen behind. I followed, sir, at a respectful distance, and they
roams on quite gay and easy for a good mile and a 'arf, and at last they
drops down by the river-side on a little cottage. The dusk was falling
fast, sir, and I was able to get nearer to them than I had been. I was
within twenty yards of them when they all went in together. If you can
get out to-morrow, sir, you can see the cottage, and you'll see where I
got to. It's just right over the river, and there's a bit of what they
used to call a veranda when I was in Bombay, sir. It's right over the
river, the veranda is, and I clomb onto it, and through the Venetian
blind I see the 'ole party. I was just a-peeping in when Sacovitch comes
along and throws the window open, just as if he'd wanted me to hear what
they was a-saying. 'And now,' says he, 'it's all ready, ain't it?'"

I suppose I shifted in my chair at this, and turned round with a look of
some eagerness and interest, for Hinge, in his excitement, laid his hand
upon my shoulder and begged me not to hurry him.

"Don't you 'urry me, sir, if you please. I'm a coming to it now, and I
think before I've done you'll say, sir, as I've got it. 'And now,' says
Sacovitch, 'it's all ready, ain't it.' The baroness was standing there
close by the table. There was decanters on the table, and a lot
of soda-water bottles. She 'elps herself and the other lady to a
brandy-and-soda, and says she, just as she let the cork fly, 'Yes,' she
says, 'I think you've got it.' I'd 'ave give a guinea at that minute,"
said Hinge, "to know what they'd got, but I never thought I should till
Mr. Brunow gets up and says, just at that minute, 'Let's see exactly
where we stand,' 'e says. 'Very well,' says Sacovitch; 'it's like
this. Now listen, all of you,' 'e says, 'for these is the final
instructions.'"

I moved again, half rising from my seat, but Hinge waved a protesting
hand against me.

"For God's sake, sir, don't 'urry me! I'm at it now, and you shall have
it all in half a minute, sir. 'It's like this,' says Sacovitch; 'we
know,' he says, 'that Miss Rossano has drawn that forty thousand pounds.
What that forty thousand pounds is for,' he says, 'is