hat hour does your master retire to his study?'

'At half-past nine, sir.'

'Locks the door on the inside?'

'Yes, sir.'

'Never rings for anything during the day?'

'Not that I know of, sir.'

'What sort of a man is he?'

Here Podgers was on familiar ground, and he rattled off a description
minute in every particular.

'What I meant was, Podgers, is he silent, or talkative, or does he get
angry? Does he seem furtive, suspicious, anxious, terrorised, calm,
excitable, or what?'

'Well, sir, he is by way of being very quiet, never has much to say
for himself; never saw him angry, or excited.'

'Now, Podgers, you've been at Park Lane for a fortnight or more. You
are a sharp, alert, observant man. What happens there that strikes you
as unusual?'

'Well, I can't exactly say, sir,' replied Podgers, looking rather
helplessly from his chief to myself, and back again.

'Your professional duties have often compelled you to enact the part
of butler before, otherwise you wouldn't do it so well. Isn't that the
case.'

Podgers did not reply, but glanced at his chief. This was evidently a
question pertaining to the service, which a subordinate was not
allowed to answer. However, Hale said at once,--

'Certainly. Podgers has been in dozens of places.'

'Well, Podgers, just call to mind some of the other households where
you have been employed, and tell me any particulars in which Mr
Summertrees' establishment differs from them.'

Podgers pondered a long time.

'Well, sir, he do stick to writing pretty close.'

'Ah, that's his profession, you see, Podgers. Hard at it from
half-past nine till towards seven, I imagine?'

'Yes, sir.'

'Anything else, Podgers? No matter how trivial.'

'Well, sir, he's fond of reading too; leastways, he's fond of
newspapers.'

'When does he read?'

'I've never seen him read 'em, sir; indeed, so far as I can tell, I
never knew the papers to be opened, but he takes them all in, sir.'

'What, all the morning papers?'

'Yes, sir, and all the evening papers too.'

'Where are the morning papers placed?'

'On the table in his study, sir.'

'And the evening papers?'

'Well, sir, when the evening papers come, the study is locked. They
are put on a side table in the dining-room, and he takes them upstairs
with him to his study.'

'This has happened every day since you've been there?'

'Yes, sir.'

'You reported that very striking fact to your chief, of course?'

'No, sir,