Spargo bent over the fine writing.

“Yes, John Maitland,” he observed.  “And who was John Maitland?”

Mr. Quarterpage shook his head.  He turned to another of the many drawers in an ancient bureau, and began to search amongst a mass of old newspapers, carefully sorted into small bundles and tied up.

“If you had lived in Market Milcaster one-and-twenty years ago, Mr. Spargo,” he said, “you would have known who John Maitland was.  For some time, sir, he was the best-known man in the place—­aye, and in this corner of the world.  But—­aye, here it is—­the newspaper of October 5th, 1891.  Now, Mr. Spargo, you’ll find in this old newspaper who John Maitland was, and all about him.  Now, I’ll tell you what to do.  I’ve just got to go into my office for an hour to talk the day’s business over with my son—­you take this newspaper out into the garden there with one of these cigars, and read what’ll you find in it, and when you’ve read that we’ll have some more talk.”

Spargo carried the old newspaper into the sunlit garden.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

AN OLD NEWSPAPER

As soon as Spargo unfolded the paper he saw what he wanted on the middle page, headed in two lines of big capitals.  He lighted a cigar and settled down to read.

“MARKET MILCASTER QUARTER SESSIONS

“TRIAL OF JOHN MAITLAND

“The Quarter Sessions for the Borough of Market Milcaster were held on Wednesday last, October 3rd, 1891, in the Town Hall, before the Recorder, Henry John Campernowne, Esq., K.C., who was accompanied on the bench by the Worshipful the Mayor of Market Milcaster (Alderman Pettiford), the Vicar of Market Milcaster (the Rev. P.B.  Clabberton, M.A., R.D.), Alderman Banks, J.P., Alderman Peters, J.P., Sir Gervais Racton, J.P., Colonel Fludgate, J.P., Captain Murrill, J.P., and other magistrates and gentlemen.  There was a crowded attendance of the public in anticipation of the trial of John Maitland, ex-manager of the Market Milcaster Bank, and the reserved portions of the Court were filled with the elite of the town and neighbourhood, including a considerable number of ladies who manifested the greatest interest in the proceedings.

“The Recorder, in charging the Grand Jury, said he regretted that the very pleasant and gratifying experience which had been his upon the occasion of his last two official visits to Market Milcaster—­he referred to the fact that on both those occasions his friend the Worshipful Mayor had been able to present him with a pair of white gloves—­was not to be repeated on the present occasion.  It would be their sad and regrettable lot to have before them a fellow-townsman whose family had for generations occupied a foremost position in the life of the borough.  That fellow-townsman was charged with one of the most serious offences known to a commercial nation like ours:  the offence of embezzling the moneys of