y," said Frank. "I met Miss Nuttall, and the time flew."

"Did you see Holland the other day?" the manager interrupted.

"I didn't see him on the day you sent me," replied Frank, "but I saw him
on the following day."

"Is he a friend of your uncle's?"

"I don't think so. Why do you ask?"

The manager took up three checks which lay on the table, and Frank
examined them. One was for eight hundred and fifty pounds six shillings,
and was drawn upon the Liverpool Cotton Bank, one was for forty-one
thousand one hundred and forty pounds, and was drawn upon the Bank of
England, and the other was for seven thousand nine hundred and
ninety-nine pounds fourteen shillings. They were all signed "John
Minute," and they were all made payable to "Rex Holland, esquire," and
were crossed.

Now John Minute had a very curious practice of splitting up payments so
that they covered the three banking houses at which his money was
deposited. The check for seven thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine
pounds fourteen shillings was drawn upon the London and Western Counties
Bank, and that would have afforded the manager some clew even if he had
not been well acquainted with John Minute's eccentricity.

"Seven thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine pounds fourteen shillings
from Mr. Minute's balance," said the manager, "leaves exactly fifty
thousand pounds."

Mr. Brandon shook his head in despair at the unbusinesslike methods of
his patron.

"Does he know your uncle?"

"Who?"

"Rex Holland."

Frank frowned in an effort of memory.

"I don't remember my uncle ever speaking of him, and yet, now I come to
think of it, one of the first checks he put into the bank was on my
uncle's account. Yes, now I remember," he exclaimed. "He opened the
account on a letter of introduction which was signed by Mr. Minute. I
thought at the time that they had probably had business dealings
together, and as uncle never encourages the discussion of bank affairs
outside of the bank, I have never mentioned it to him."

Again Mr. Brandon shook his head in doubt.

"I must say, Mr. Merrill," he said, "I don't like these mysterious
depositors. What is he like in appearance?"

"Rather a tall, youngish man, exquisitely dressed."

"Clean shaven?"

"No, he has a closely trimmed black beard, though he cannot be much more
than twenty-eight. In fact, when I saw him for the first time the face
was familiar to me and I had an impression of having seen him before. I