pecting something wrong, and going up-stairs to
see what had happened. Precisely the same explanation which the landlord
in Northumberland Street had given to Mr. Godfrey, the landlord in
Alfred Place now gave to Mr. Luker. Both had been imposed on in the same
way by the plausible address and well-filled purse of the respectable
stranger, who introduced himself as acting for his foreign friends.
The one point of difference between the two cases occurred when the
scattered contents of Mr. Luker's pockets were being collected from
the floor. His watch and purse were safe, but (less fortunate than Mr.
Godfrey) one of the loose papers that he carried about him had been
taken away. The paper in question acknowledged the receipt of a valuable
of great price which Mr. Luker had that day left in the care of his
bankers. This document would be useless for purposes of fraud, inasmuch
as it provided that the valuable should only be given up on the personal
application of the owner. As soon as he recovered himself, Mr. Luker
hurried to the bank, on the chance that the thieves who had robbed him
might ignorantly present themselves with the receipt. Nothing had been
seen of them when he arrived at the establishment, and nothing was seen
of them afterwards. Their respectable English friend had (in the opinion
of the bankers) looked the receipt over before they attempted to make
use of it, and had given them the necessary warning in good time.

Information of both outrages was communicated to the police, and the
needful investigations were pursued, I believe, with great energy.
The authorities held that a robbery had been planned, on insufficient
information received by the thieves. They had been plainly not sure
whether Mr. Luker had, or had not, trusted the transmission of his
precious gem to another person; and poor polite Mr. Godfrey had paid the
penalty of having been seen accidentally speaking to him. Add to this,
that Mr. Godfrey's absence from our Monday evening meeting had been
occasioned by a consultation of the authorities, at which he was
requested to assist--and all the explanations required being now
given, I may proceed with the simpler story of my own little personal
experiences in Montagu Square.

I was punctual to the luncheon hour on Tuesday. Reference to my diary
shows this to have been a chequered day--much in it to be devoutly
regretted, much in it to be devoutly thankful for.

Dear Aunt Verinder received me wit