any) toward detecting the person or persons by whom the money
has been stolen; and you will leave him to make the best he can of the
matter now in your hands. He is to have the whole responsibility of the
case, and the whole credit of his success if he brings it to a proper
issue.

So much for the orders that I am desired to communicate to you.

A word in your ear, next, about this new man who is to take your place.
His name is Matthew Sharpin, and he is to have the chance given him of
dashing into our office at one jump--supposing he turns out strong
enough to take it. You will naturally ask me how he comes by this
privilege. I can only tell you that he has some uncommonly strong
interest to back him in certain high quarters, which you and I had
better not mention except under our breaths. He has been a lawyer's
clerk, and he is wonderfully conceited in his opinion of himself, as
well as mean and underhand to look at. According to his own account, he
leaves his old trade and joins ours of his own free will and preference.
You will no more believe that than I do. My notion is, that he has
managed to ferret out some private information in connection with the
affairs of one of his master's clients, which makes him rather an
awkward customer to keep in the office for the future, and which, at the
same time, gives him hold enough over his employer to make it dangerous
to drive him into a corner by turning him away. I think the giving him
this unheard-of chance among us is, in plain words, pretty much like
giving him hush-money to keep him quiet. However that may be, Mr.
Matthew Sharpin is to have the case now in your hands, and if he
succeeds with it, he pokes his ugly nose into our office as sure as fate.
I put you up to this, sergeant, so that you may not stand in your own
light by giving the new man any cause to complain of you at
headquarters, and remain yours,

FRANCIS THEAKSTONE.

FROM MR. MATTHEW SHARPIN TO CHIEF INSPECTOR THEAKSTONE.

London, 5th July, 18--.

DEAR SIR,--Having now been favoured with the necessary instructions from
Sergeant Bulmer, I beg to remind you of certain directions which I have
received relating to the report of my future proceedings which I am to
prepare for examination at headquarters.

The object of my writing, and of your examining what I have written
before you send it to the higher authorities