e?'

'His name is Ralph Summertrees, and he lives in a very natty little
bijou residence, as the advertisements call it, situated in no less a
fashionable street than Park Lane.'

'I see. What has aroused your suspicions against him?'

'Well, you know, that's an expensive district to live in; it takes a
bit of money to do the trick. This Summertrees has no ostensible
business, yet every Friday he goes to the United Capital Bank in
Piccadilly, and deposits a bag of swag, usually all silver coin.'

'Yes, and this money?'

'This money, so far as we can learn, contains a good many of these new
pieces which never saw the British Mint.'

'It's not all the new coinage, then?'

'Oh, no, he's a bit too artful for that. You see, a man can go round
London, his pockets filled with new coinage five-shilling pieces, buy
this, that, and the other, and come home with his change in legitimate
coins of the realm--half-crowns, florins, shillings, sixpences, and
all that.'

'I see. Then why don't you nab him one day when his pockets are
stuffed with illegitimate five-shilling pieces?'

'That could be done, of course, and I've thought of it, but you see,
we want to land the whole gang. Once we arrested him, without knowing
where the money came from, the real coiners would take flight.'

'How do you know he is not the real coiner himself?'

Now poor Hale is as easy to read as a book. He hesitated before
answering this question, and looked confused as a culprit caught in
some dishonest act.

'You need not be afraid to tell me,' I said soothingly after a pause.
'You have had one of your men in Mr. Summertrees' house, and so learned
that he is not the coiner. But your man has not succeeded in getting
you evidence to incriminate other people.'

'You've about hit it again, Monsieur Valmont. One of my men has been
Summertrees' butler for two weeks, but, as you say, he has found no
evidence.'

'Is he still butler?'

'Yes.'

'Now tell me how far you have got. You know that Summertrees deposits
a bag of coin every Friday in the Piccadilly bank, and I suppose the
bank has allowed you to examine one or two of the bags.'

'Yes, sir, they have, but, you see, banks are very difficult to treat
with. They don't like detectives bothering round, and whilst they do
not stand out against the law, still they never answer any more
questions than they're asked, and Mr. Summertrees has been a good
customer at the United Capital for many years