ning, and I
laid it on him heavily about the Glasgow affair, which, as we came to
know later, was the biggest mistake we made, and one that involved us in
no end of sore trouble; and at a quarter-past six Mr. Lindsey and Mr.
Portlethorpe and I were drinking our coffee and blinking at each other
over the rims of the cups. But Mr. Lindsey was sharp enough of his wits
even at that hour, and before we set off from Berwick he wrote out a
telegram to Mr. Gavin Smeaton, asking him to meet us in Edinburgh during
the day, so that Mr. Portlethorpe might make his acquaintance. This
telegram he left with his housekeeper--to be dispatched as soon as the
post-office was open. And then we were off, and by half-past eight were
at breakfast in the Waverley Station; and as the last stroke of ten was
sounding from the Edinburgh clocks we were walking into the premises of
the Scottish-American Bank.

The manager, who presently received us in his private rooms, looked at
Mr. Lindsey and Mr. Portlethorpe with evident surprise--it may have been
that there was mystery in their countenances. I know that I, on my part,
felt as if a purblind man might have seen that I was clothed about with
mystery from the crown of my head to the sole of my foot! And he appeared
still more surprised when Mr. Lindsey, briefly, but fully, explained why
we had called upon him.

"Of course, I've read the newspapers about your strange doings at
Berwick," he observed, when Mr. Lindsey--aided by some remarks from Mr.
Portlethorpe--had come to the end of his explanation. "And I gather that
you now want to know what we, here, know of Sir Gilbert Carstairs and Mr.
John Paley. I can reply to that in a sentence--nothing that is to their
discredit! They are two thoroughly estimable and trustworthy gentlemen,
so far as we are aware."

"Then there _is_ a Mr. John Paley?" demanded Mr. Lindsey, who was
obviously surprised.

The manager, evidently, was also surprised--by the signs of Mr.
Lindsey's surprise.

"Mr. John Paley is a stockbroker in this city," he replied. "Quite well
known! The fact is, we--that is, I--introduced Sir Gilbert Carstairs to
him. Perhaps," he continued, glancing from one gentleman to the other, "I
had better tell you all the facts. They're very simple, and quite of an
ordinary nature. Sir Gilbert Carstairs came in here, introducing himself,
some months ago. He told me that he was intending to sell off a good deal
of the Carstairs property, and that