rth your while. All you've got to do,' he went on, 'is to go
there--see the police authorities, town officials, anybody that knows
the place, and ask them if they can tell you anything of one Falkiner
Wraye, who was at one time a small estate agent in Barthorpe, left the
place about seventeen years ago--maybe eighteen--and is believed to
have recently gone back to the neighbourhood. That's all. Get what
information you can, and write it to me, care of my bankers in London.
Give me a sheet of paper and I'll put down particulars for you.'"

Harker paused at this point and nodded his head at an old bureau which
stood in a corner of his room.

"The sheet of paper's there," he said. "It's got on it, in his writing,
a brief memorandum of what he wanted and the address of his bankers.
When he'd given it to me, he put his hand in his pocket and pulled out a
purse in which I could see he was carrying plenty of money. He took out
some notes. 'Here's five-and-twenty pounds on account, Harker,' he said.
'You might have to spend a bit. Don't be afraid--plenty more where that
comes from. You'll do it soon?' he asked. 'Yes, I'll do it, Mr. Braden,'
I answered. 'It'll be a bit of a holiday for me.' 'That's all right,'
he said. 'I'm delighted I came across you.' 'Well, you couldn't be more
delighted than I was surprised,' I said. 'I never thought to see you
in Wrychester. What brought you here, if one may ask--sight-seeing?'
He laughed at that, and he pulled out his purse again. 'I'll show you
something--a secret,' he said, and he took a bit of folded paper out of
his purse. 'What do you make of that?' he asked. 'Can you read Latin?'
'No--except a word or two,' I said, 'but I know a man who can.' 'Ah,
never mind,' said he. 'I know enough Latin for this--and it's a secret.
However, it won't be a secret long, and you'll hear all about it.'
And with that he put the bit of paper in his purse again, and we began
talking about other matters, and before long he said he'd promised to
have a chat with a gentleman at the Mitre whom he'd come along with
in the train, and away he went, saying he'd see me before be left the
town."

"Did he say how long he was going to stop here?" asked Bryce.

"Two or three days," replied Harker.

"Did he mention Ransford?" inquired Bryce.

"Never!" said Harker.

"Did he make any reference to his wife and children?"

"Not the slightest!"

"Nor to the hint that his counsel threw out at the trial?"

"Never