than was reckoned; dear old gentleman doesn't cut up
as well as they hoped! And meanwhile our friend B----! Does it dawn on
you at all, from our friend B----'s point of view, Sergeant? I may be
wrong, but that's my provisional conjecture. The question remains how
he's got the old gent into the game, doesn't it?"

Precisely the point to which the Sergeant's mind also had turned! The
knowledge which he possessed--that half of the secret--and which his
companion did not, might be very material to a solution of the problem;
the Sergeant did not mean to share it prematurely, without necessity, or
for nothing. But surely it had a bearing on the case? Dull-witted as he
was, the Sergeant seemed to catch a glimmer of light, and mentally groped
towards it.

"Well, we can't sit here all night," said the stranger in good-humored
impatience. "I've a train to catch."

"There's no train up from here to-night."

"There is from Sprotsfield. I shall walk over."

The Sergeant smiled. "Oh, if you're walking to Sprotsfield, I'll put you
on your way. If anybody was to see us, Boomery, for instance, he couldn't
complain of my seeing an old pal on his way on Christmas night. No 'arm
in that; no look of prowling, or spying, or such like! And you are an old
pal, ain't you?"

"Certainly; your old pal--let me see--your old pal Percy Bennett."

"As it might he, or as it might not. What about the--" He pointed to
Percy Bennett's breast-pocket.

"I'll give it you outside. You don't want me to be seen handing it over
in here, do you?"

The Sergeant had one more question to ask. "About 'ow much d'ye reckon
there might be by now?"

"How often have they been to London? Because they don't come to see my
friends every time, I fancy."

"Must 'ave been six or seven times by now. The game began soon after
Boomery and I came 'ere."

"Then, quite roughly, quite a shot, from what I know of the deals we--my
friends, I mean--did with them, and reasoning from that, there might be a
matter of seven or eight thousand pounds."

The Sergeant whistled softly, rose, and led the way to the door. The
gentlemanly stranger paused at the bar to pay for the brandy, and after
bidding the landlord a civil good-evening, with the compliments of the
season, followed the Sergeant into the village street.

Fifteen minutes' brisk walk brought them to Hinton Avenue. At the end of
it they passed Doctor Mary's house; the drawing-room curtains were not
drawn; on the blin