Mr. Barton looked at him steadily, then opened the door leading into the inner office, motioned to the man to enter, followed him in, and closed the door carefully after him. He then took another steady observation of his visitor. He was dressed as a sailor, with a few little bits of finery, a chain and rings, such as foreign sailors affect. He was swarthy and dark, with black hair falling in little curls. He was the beau ideal of a sailor from the shores of the Mediterranean. “A very good get-up, Mr. Symes,” Mr. Barton said quietly, “really very creditable; pass muster very well in the street, but would hardly deceive anyone on the watch for you. Don’t you think it is just the least bit rash for you to come here?” “Rash! not a bit of it,” the man laughed; “the very best thing I could do.” “I suppose you know I have just come from the Bank.” “Quite so, Mr. Barton, I was watching for you. I felt sure they would put you after me, so I waited till you had been there and got instructions, and then I thought I would come in and hear all about it.” “You are a cool hand, certainly,” Mr. Barton said, in a tone of admiration. “Well, you see I have been for some time looking things in the face and making my calculations. I knew, of course, that it must come out, sooner or later, and I think I have made myself pretty well master of everything which could bear upon my chances. As I felt sure they would put you on me I inquired all about your way of doing business.” “And what was the result of your investigation?” Mr. Barton asked, rather grimly. “Why, you see,” the man said, carelessly, “here I am. And now to business. How much have they offered you?—a hundred pounds?” “Two hundred,” Mr. Barton said. “I am sure I feel it a compliment. Two hundred pounds! Well, now look here. I have taken a big sum altogether, but it has been over a long time, and has gone pretty nearly as fast as I got it. My luck on the turf has been really a caution. So I don’t get off with much in the end, only a few hundred pounds, but I tell you what, I will give you five hundred pounds to let me go.” Mr. Barton hesitated, and sat thoughtfully for nearly a minute, and then he said, “The three hundred you offer me more than they do is not sufficient to cover the risk.” “Nonsense, man, there is no risk in the matter, as you know as well as I do.” “But suppose, Mr. Symes, that the police catch you, how then?” “Ah! but the police must not catch me. It’s precisely for that that you are going to take the extra three hundred. It will be your part of the business to throw them off the scent, you will find that an easy job enough.” “How am I to be paid? that is, supposing I agree to this?”