uld be bad from a business point of view. No, Mr. Bayley, I am
exceedingly sorry, but I have no option but to act as I am doing."

"In that case I must wish you a very good-morning," he remarked, and
took up his hat and umbrella. I could see, however, that he was still
reluctant to go.

"Good-morning," I answered. "I hope your affairs in the Argentine may
brighten before very long."

He shook his head gloomily, and then left the office without another
word.

When he had gone I answered some letters, gave some instructions to my
managing clerk, and then donned my hat and set off for the office of the
Shipping Company that had brought Gideon Hayle to England.

Unfortunately it transpired that they were not in a position to do very
much in the way of helping me. Mr. Bertram had certainly travelled home
in one of their steamers, so the manager informed me, a boat that as a
rule did not carry passengers. He had landed at the docks, and from that
moment they had neither seen nor heard anything of him. I inquired for
the steamer, only to learn that she was now somewhere on her way between
Singapore and Hong Kong. This was decidedly disappointing, but as most
of the cases in which I have been ultimately successful have had
unpromising beginnings, I did not take it too seriously to heart.
Leaving the Shipping Office, I next turned my attention to Hatton
Garden, where I called upon Messrs. Jacob and Bulenthall, one of the
largest firms in the gem trade. We had had many dealings together in the
past, and as I had had the good fortune on one occasion to do them a
signal service, I knew that they would now do all that they could for me
in return.

"Good-day, Mr. Fairfax," said the chief partner, as I entered his snug
little sanctum, which leads out of the main office. "What can I have the
pleasure of doing for you?"

"I am in search of some information," I replied, "and I think you may be
able to help me."

"I will do all that is in my power to render you assistance," he
returned, as he wiped his glasses and placed them on his somewhat fleshy
nose. "What is the information you require? Has there been another big
robbery of stones, and you think it possible that some of them may have
come into our hands?"

"There certainly has been a robbery," I replied, "and the stones may
have been offered to you, but not in the way you mean. The fact of the
matter is, I want to discover whether or not a large consignment of
uncut rubie