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room a minute； a young man of highly suspicious manners and
appearance； sitting at a table opposite； took his glass of porter
in his hand and joined Mr。 Jay。 I pretended to be reading the
newspaper； and listened； as in duty bound； with all my might。
〃Jack has been here inquiring after you；〃 says the young man。
〃Did he leave any message？〃 asks Mr。 Jay。
〃Yes；〃 says the other。 〃He told me； if I met with you； to say
that he wished very particularly to see you to…night； and that he
would give you a look in at Rutherford Street at seven o'clock。〃
〃All right；〃 says Mr。 Jay。 〃I'll get back in time to see him。〃
Upon this； the suspicious…looking young man finished his porter；
and saying that he was rather in a hurry； took leave of his
friend （perhaps I should not be wrong if I said his accomplice？）；
and left the room。
At twenty…five minutes and a half past sixin these serious
cases it is important to be particular about timeMr。 Jay
finished his chops and paid his bill。 At twenty…six minutes and
three…quarters I finished my chops and paid mine。 In ten minutes
more I was inside the house in Rutherford Street； and was
received by Mrs。 Yatman in the passage。 That charming woman's
face exhibited an expression of melancholy and disappointment
which it quite grieved me to see。
〃I am afraid； ma'am；〃 says I； 〃that you have not hit on any
little criminating discovery in the lodger's room？〃
She shook her head and sighed。 It was a soft； languid； fluttering
sighand； upon my life； it quite upset me。 For the moment I
forgot business； and burned with envy of Mr。 Yatman。
〃Don't despair； ma'am；〃 I said； with an insinuating mildness
which seemed to touch her。 〃I have heard a mysterious
conversationI know of a guilty appointmentand I expect great
things from my peep…hole and my pipe…hole to…night。 Pray don't be
alarmed； but I think we are on the brink of a discovery。〃
Here my enthusiastic devotion to business got the better part of
my tender feelings。 I lookedwinkednoddedleft her。
When I got back to my observatory； I found Mr。 Jay digesting his
mutton…chops in an armchair； with his pipe in his mouth。 On his
table were two tumblers； a jug of water； and the pint bottle of
brandy。 It was then close upon seven o'clock。 As the hour struck
the person described as 〃Jack〃 walked in。
He looked agitatedI am happy to say he looked violently
agitated。 The cheerful glow of anticipated success diffused
itself （to use a strong expression） all over me； from head to
foot。 With breathless interest I looked through my peep…hole； and
saw the visitorthe 〃Jack〃 of this delightful casesit down；
facing me； at the opposite side of the table to Mr。 Jay。 Making
allowance for the difference in expression which their
countenances just now happened to exhibit； these two abandoned
villains were so much alike in other respects as to lead at once
to the conclusion that they were brothers。 Jack was the cleaner
man and the better dressed of the two。 I admit that； at the
outset。 It is； perhaps； one of my failings to push justice and
impartiality to their utmost limits。 I am no Pharisee； and where
Vice has its redeeming point； I say； let Vice have its dueyes；
yes； by all manner of means； let Vice have its due。
〃What's the matter now； Jack？〃 says Mr。 Jay。
〃Can't you see it in my face？〃 says Jack。 〃My dear fellow； delays
are dangerous。 Let us have done with suspense； and risk it； the
day after to…morrow。〃
〃So soon as that？〃 cries Mr。 Jay； looking very much astonished。
〃Well； I'm ready； if you are。 But； I say； Jack； is somebody else
ready； too？ Are you quite sure of that？〃
He smiled as he spokea frightful smileand laid a very strong
emphasis on those two words； 〃Somebody else。〃 There is evidently
a third ruffian； a nameless desperado； concerned in the business。
〃Meet us to…morrow；〃 says Jack； 〃and judge for yourself。 Be in
the Regent's Park at eleven in the morning； and look out for us
at the turning that leads to the Avenue Road。〃
〃I'll be there；〃 says Mr。 Jay。 〃Have a drop of brandy…and…water？
What are you getting up for？ You're not going already？〃
〃Yes； I am；〃 says Jack。 〃The fact is； I'm so excited and agitated
that I can't sit still anywhere for five minutes together。
Ridiculous as it may appear to you； I'm in a perpetual state of
nervous flutter。 I can't； for the life of me； help fearing that
we shall be found out。 I fancy that every man who looks twice at
me in the street is a spy〃
At these words I thought my legs would have given way under me。
Nothing but strength of mind kept me at my peep…holenothing
else； I give you my word of honor。
〃Stuff and nonsense！〃 cries Mr。 Jay； with all the effrontery of a
veteran in crime。 〃We have kept the secret up to this time； and
we will manage cleverly to the end。 Have a drop of
brandy…and…water； and you will feel as certain about it as I do。〃
Jack steadily refused the brandy…and…water； and steadily
persisted in taking his leave。
〃I must try if I can't walk it off；〃 he said。 〃Remember to…morrow
morningeleven o'clock； Avenue Road； side of the Regent's Park。〃
With those words he went out。 His hardened relative laughed
desperately and resumed the dirty clay pipe。
I sat down on the side of my bed； actually quivering with
excitement。
It is clear to me that no attempt has yet been made to change the
stolen bank…notes； and I may add that Sergeant Bulmer was of that
opinion also when he left the case in my hands。 What is the
natural conclusion to draw from the conversation which I have
just set down？ Evidently that the confederates meet to…morrow to
take their respective shares in the stolen money； and to decide
on the safest means of getting the notes changed the day after。
Mr。 Jay is； beyond a doubt； the leading criminal in this
business； and he will probably run the chief riskthat of
changing the fifty…pound note。 I shall； therefore； still make it
my business to follow himattending at the Regent's Par k
to…morrow； and doing my best to hear what is said there。 If
another appointment is made for the day after； I shall； of
course； go to it。 In the meantime； I shall want the immediate
assistance of two competent persons （supposing the rascals
separate after their meeting） to follow the two minor criminals。
It is only fair to add that； if the rogues all retire together； I
shall probably keep my subordinates in reserve。 Being naturally
ambitious； I desire； if possible； to have the whole credit of
discovering this robbery to myself。
8th July。
I have to acknowledge； with thanks； the speedy arrival of my two
subordinatesmen of very average abilities； I am afraid； but；
fortunately； I shall always be on the spot to direct them。
My first business this morning was necessarily to prevent
possible mistakes by accounting to Mr。 and Mrs。 Yatman for the
presence of two strangers on the scene。 Mr。 Yatman （between
ourselves； a poor； feeble man） only shook his head and groaned。
Mrs。 Yatman （that superior woman） favored me with a charming look
of intelligence。
〃Oh； Mr。 Sharpin！〃 she said； 〃I am so sorry to see those two men！
Your sending for their assistance looks as if you were beginning
to be doubtful of success。〃
I privately winked at her （she is very good in allowing me to do
so without taking offense）； and told her； in my facetious way；
that she labored under a slight mistake。
〃It is because I am sure of success； ma'am； that I send for them。
I am determined to recover the money； not for my own sake only；
but for Mr。 Yatman's sakeand for yours。〃
I laid a considerable amount of stress on those last three words。
She said： 〃Oh； Mr。 Sharpin！〃 again； and blushed of a heavenly
red； and looked down at her work。 I could go to the world's end
with that woman if Mr。 Yatman would only die。
I sent off the two subordinates to wait until I wanted them at
the Avenue Road gate of the Regent's Park。 Half…an…hour afterward
I was following the same direction myself at the heels of Mr。
Jay。
The two confederates were punctual to the appointed time。 I blush
to record it； but it is nevertheless necessary to state that the
third roguethe nameless desperado of my report； or； if you
prefer it； the mysterious 〃somebody else〃 of the conversation
between the two brothersisa woman！ and； what is worse； a
young woman！ and； what is more lamentable still； a nice…looking
woman！ I have long resisted a growing conviction that； wherever
there is mischief in this world； an individual of the fair sex is
inevitably certain to be mixed up in it。 After the experience of
this morning； I can struggle against that sad conclusion no
longer。 I give up the sexexcepting Mrs。 Yatman； I give up the
sex。
The man named 〃Jack〃 offered the woman his arm。 Mr。 Jay placed
himself on the other side of her。 The three then walked away
slowly among the trees。 I followed them at a respectful distance。
My two subordinates； at a respectful distance； also； followed me。
It was； I deeply regret to say； impossible to get near enough to
them to overhear their conversation without running too great a
risk of being discovered。 I could only infer from their gestures
and actions that they were all three talking with extraordinary
ear