-mindedness seemed to
be justified in nine cases out of ten. His collectors were collecting
long after the debt had been paid. In Lord Semptam's case, the payment
had evidently become chronic, and the old man was giving away his
pound a week to the suave Macpherson two years after his debt had been
liquidated.

From the big volume I detached the loose leaf, dated 1893, which
recorded Lord Semptam's purchase of a carved table for fifty pounds,
and on which he had been paying a pound a week from that time to the
date of which I am writing, which was November, 1896. This single
document taken from the file of three years previous, was not likely
to be missed, as would have been the case if I had selected a current
sheet. I nevertheless made a copy of the names and addresses of
Macpherson's present clients; then, carefully placing everything
exactly as I had found it, I extinguished the gas, and went out of the
shop, locking the door behind me. With the 1893 sheet in my pocket I
resolved to prepare a pleasant little surprise for my suave friend
Macpherson when he called to get his next instalment of five
shillings.

Late as was the hour when I reached Trafalgar Square, I could not
deprive myself of the felicity of calling on Mr. Spenser Hale, who I
knew was then on duty. He never appeared at his best during office
hours, because officialism stiffened his stalwart frame. Mentally he
was impressed with the importance of his position, and added to this
he was not then allowed to smoke his big, black pipe and terrible
tobacco. He received me with the curtness I had been taught to expect
when I inflicted myself upon him at his office. He greeted me abruptly
with,--

'I say, Valmont, how long do you expect to be on this job?'

'What job?' I asked mildly.

'Oh, you know what I mean: the Summertrees affair.'

'Oh, _that_!' I exclaimed, with surprise. 'The Summertrees case is
already completed, of course. If I had known you were in a hurry, I
should have finished up everything yesterday, but as you and Podgers,
and I don't know how many more, have been at it sixteen or seventeen
days, if not longer, I thought I might venture to take as many hours,
as I am working entirely alone. You said nothing about haste, you
know.'

'Oh, come now, Valmont, that's a bit thick. Do you mean to say you
have already got evidence against the man?'

'Evidence absolute and complete.'

'Then who are the coiners?'

'My most estimable friend