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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
earnestness on some subject which deeply interested them。 After
having been engaged in this way a full quarter of an hour； they
suddenly turned round to retrace their steps。 My presence of mind
did not forsake me in this emergency。 I signed to the two
subordinates to walk on carelessly and pass them； while I myself
slipped dexterously behind a tree。 As they came by me； I heard
〃Jack〃 address these words to Mr。 Jay：
〃Let us say half…past ten to…morrow morning。 And mind you come in
a cab。 We had better not risk taking one in this neighborhood。〃
Mr。 Jay made some brief reply which I could not overhear。 They
walked back to the place at which they had met； shaking hands
there with an audacious cordiality which it quite sickened me to
see。 They then separated。 I followed Mr。 Jay。 My subordinates
paid the same delicate attention to the other two。
Instead of taking me back to Rutherford Street； Mr。 Jay led me to
the Strand。 He stopped at a dingy； disreputable…looking house；
which； according to the inscription over the door； was a
newspaper office； but which； in my judgment； had all the external
appearance of a place devoted to the reception of stolen goods。
After remaining inside for a few minutes； he came out whistling；
with his finger and thumb in his waistcoat pocket。 Some men would
now have arrested him on the spot。 I remembered the necessity of
catching the two confederates； and the importance of not
interfering with the appointment that had been made for the next
morning。 Such coolness as this； under trying circumstances； is
rarely to be found； I should imagine； in a young beginner； whose
reputation as a detective policeman is still to make。
From the house of suspicious appearance Mr。 Jay betook himself to
a cigar…divan； and read the magazines over a cheroot。 From the
divan he strolled to the tavern and had his chops。 I strolled to
the tavern and had my chops。 When he had done he went back to his
lodging。 When I had done I went back to mine。 He was overcome
with drowsiness early in the evening； and went to bed。 As soon as
I heard him snoring； I was overcome with drowsiness and went to
bed also。
Early in the morning my two subordinates came to make their
report。
They had seen the man named 〃Jack〃 leave the woman at the gate of
an apparently respectable villa residence not far from the
Regent's Park。 Left to himself； he took a turning to the right；
which led to a sort of suburban street； principally inhabited by
shopkeepers。 He stopped at the private door of one of the houses；
and let himself in with his own keylooking about him as he
opened the door； and staring suspiciously at my men as they
lounged along on the opposite side of the way。 These were all the
particulars which the subordinates had to communicate。 I kept
them in my room to attend on me； if needful； and mounted to my
peep…hole to have a look at Mr。 Jay。
He was occupied in dressing himself； and was taking extraordinary
pains to destroy all traces of the natural slovenliness of his
appearance。 This was precisely what I expected。 A vag