your man arrests
Summertrees, he will make you the laughing-stock of London. There is
such a thing as unjustifiable arrest, as well as getting money under
false pretences, and Mr. Summertrees is not the man to forgive an
insult. And then, if you will allow me to say so, the more I think
over your absent-minded theory, the more absolutely grotesque it
seems, and if the case ever gets into the newspapers, I am sure, Mr
Hale, you'll experience an uncomfortable half-hour with your chiefs at
Scotland Yard.'

'I'll take the risk of that, thank you,' said Hale stubbornly.

'Am I to consider myself under arrest?' inquired the young man.

'No, sir.'

'Then, if you will pardon me, I shall withdraw. Mr. Summertrees will
show you everything you wish to see in his books, and can explain his
business much more capably than I, because he knows more about it;
therefore, gentlemen, I bid you good-night.'

'No you don't. Not just yet awhile,' exclaimed Hale, rising to his
feet simultaneously with the young man.

'Then I _am_ under arrest,' protested Macpherson.

'You're not going to leave this room until Podgers brings that book.'

'Oh, very well,' and he sat down again.

And now, as talking is dry work, I set out something to drink, a box
of cigars, and a box of cigarettes. Hale mixed his favourite brew, but
Macpherson, shunning the wine of his country, contented himself with a
glass of plain mineral water, and lit a cigarette. Then he awoke my
high regard by saying pleasantly as if nothing had happened,--

'While we are waiting, Monsieur Valmont, may I remind you that you owe
me five shillings?'

I laughed, took the coin from my pocket, and paid him, whereupon he
thanked me.

'Are you connected with Scotland Yard, Monsieur Valmont?' asked
Macpherson, with the air of a man trying to make conversation to
bridge over a tedious interval; but before I could reply, Hale blurted
out,--

'Not likely!'

'You have no official standing as a detective, then, Monsieur
Valmont?'

'None whatever,' I replied quickly, thus getting in my oar ahead of
Hale.

'This is a loss to our country,' pursued this admirable young man,
with evident sincerity.

I began to see I could make a good deal of so clever a fellow if he
came under my tuition.

'The blunders of our police', he went on, 'are something deplorable.
If they would but take lessons in strategy, say, from France, their
unpleasant duties would be so much more acceptably perf