a written statement of the case; and he had now arrived to
report the result of his first proceedings to his employer.

"One thing I want to know, before you tell me anything else," Amelius
resumed. "Is my written description of Jervy plain enough to help you to
find him?"

"It's so plain, sir, that some of the older men in our office have
recognized him by it--under another name than the name you give him."

"Does that add to the difficulty of tracing him?"

"He has been a long time away from England, sir; and it's by no means
easy to trace him, on that account. I have been to the young woman,
named Phoebe in your statement, to find out what she can tell me about
him. She's ready enough, in the intervals of crying, to help us to
lay our hands on the man who has deserted her. It's the old story of a
fellow getting at a girl's secrets and a girl's money, under pretence of
marrying her. At one time, she's furious with him, and at another she's
ready to cry her eyes out. I got some information from her; it's not
much, but it may help us. The name of the old woman, who has been the
go-between in the business, is Mrs. Sowler--known to the police as
an inveterate drunkard, and worse. I don't think there will be much
difficulty in tracing Mrs. Sowler. As to Jervy, if the young woman is
to be believed, and I think she is, there's little doubt that he has got
the money from the lady mentioned in my instructions here, and that he
has bolted with the sum about him. Wait a bit, sir, I haven't done with
my discoveries yet. I asked the young woman, of course, if she had his
photograph. He's a sharp fellow; she had it, but he got it away from
her, on pretence of giving her a better one, before he took himself off.
Having missed this chance, I asked next if she knew where he lived last.
She directed me to the place; and I have had a talk with the landlord.
He tells me of a squint-eyed man, who was a good deal about the house,
doing Jervy's dirty work for him. If I am not misled by the description,
I think I know the man. I have my own notion of what he's capable of
doing, if he gets the chance--and I propose to begin by finding our way
to him, and using him as a means of tracing Jervy. It's only right to
tell you that it may take some time to do this--for which reason I have
to propose, in the mean while, trying a shorter way to the end in view.
Do you object, sir, to the expense of sending a copy of your description
of Jervy to ev