was not to be drawn out to gain money from Mr. Frank, but to gain time from Mr. Davager.  It served me as an excuse to put off the payment of the five hundred pounds till three o’clock on the Tuesday afternoon.  The Tuesday morning Mr. Davager said he should devote to his amusement, and asked me what sights were to be seen in the neighborhood of the town.  When I had told him, he pitched his toothpick into my grate, yawned, and went out.

I rang the bell once—­waited till he had passed the window—­and then looked after Tom.  There was my jewel of a boy on the opposite side of the street, just setting his top going in the most playful manner possible.  Mr. Davager walked away up the street toward the market-place.  Tom whipped his top up the street toward the market-place, too.

In a quarter of an hour he came back, with all his evidence collected in a beautifully clear and compact state.  Mr. Davager had walked to a public-house just outside the town, in a lane leading to the highroad.  On a bench outside the public-house there sat a man smoking.  He said “All right?” and gave a letter to Mr. Davager, who answered “All right!” and walked back to the inn.  In the hall he ordered hot rum-and-water, cigars, slippers, and a fire to be lit in his room.  After that he went upstairs, and Tom came away.

I now saw my road clear before me—­not very far on, but still clear.  I had housed the letter, in all probability for that night, at the Gatliffe Arms.  After tipping Tom, I gave him directions to play about the door of the inn, and refresh himself when he was tired at the tart-shop opposite, eating as much as he pleased, on the understanding that he crammed all the time with his eye on the window.  If Mr. Davager went out, or Mr. Davager’s friend called on him, Tom was to let me know.  He was also to take a little note from me to the head chambermaid—­an old friend of mine—­asking her to step over to my office, on a private matter of business, as soon as her work was done for that night.  After settling these little matters, having half an hour to spare, I turned to and did myself a bloater at the office fire, and had a drop of gin-and-water hot, and felt comparatively happy.

When the head chambermaid came, it turned out, as good luck would have it, that Mr. Davager had drawn her attention rather too closely to his ugliness, by offering her a testimony of his regard in the shape of a kiss.  I no sooner mentioned him than she flew into a passion; and when I added, by way of clinching the matter, that I was retained to defend the interests of a very beautiful and deserving young lady (name not referred to, of course) against the most cruel underhand treachery on the part of Mr. Davager, the head chambermaid was ready to go any lengths that she could safely to serve my cause.  In a few words I discovered that Boots was to call Mr. Davager at eight the next morning, and was to take his clothes downstairs to brush as usual.  If Mr. D------