He had secured the services of a detective who possessed the highest qualifications for his office, namely, he was not like a detective at all in manner, appearance or speech. Meeting Sergeant Dier in an ordinary way, you would regard him as a successful commercial man. There was not the slightest flavour of Scotland Yard about him. He was a good actor, a good singer, and a capital story-teller. Some of his most important discoveries were made whilst he was entertaining a roomful of company with his merry anecdotes. The secret of his success lay partly in a natural gift for his business, his enthusiasm, and the good-nature which underlay it all. He never allowed a scoundrel to escape; but he dealt very gently with any poor creature who might be betrayed into a first crime. When Coutts reached his office, Sergeant Dier was waiting for him. Any one looking at the detective as he stood, bareheaded, reading a newspaper, would have imagined that he was one of the bank officials. He accompanied Coutts to his private room. ‘Well, what news have you?’ ‘Our man has everything prepared for a holiday abroad,’ was Dier’s smiling reply. ‘Can he get away?’ ‘O dear, no; he is at present under the eye of one of my friends, and he has been obliged to delay his departure until to-morrow, owing to a difficulty he has found in collecting his funds on such short notice.’ ‘Is that all?’ ‘There is a little more,’ said Dier complacently. ‘I have found a man who can identify his writing under any disguise.’ ‘Who is he?’ ‘Our man’s brother. It was not easy to persuade him to help us, but he consented at the last moment, and is to meet us at Mr Shield’s place.’ ‘Capital,’ said Coutts. ‘You understand, I do not wish to proceed to extremities unless we are forced to it.’ ‘So you informed me; but the case is turning out such a pretty one that it would have been an honour to explain it in court.’ ‘Never mind the honour; we’ll balance that somehow. I shall be ready in twenty minutes, and will meet you at the hotel.’ Sergeant Dier bowed and left. Outside the room he nodded and smiled to himself as he placed a glossy hat jauntily on his head. Mentally and cheerfully he was saying: ‘I don’t care about that chap—not much. I should not be surprised to find him coming my way sometime with the positions changed.’ Coutts examined letters, signed papers brought to him by his chief clerk, and punctually at the expiration of twenty minutes was on his way to Mr Shield’s hotel. At the door he found Sergeant Dier and Bob Tuppit waiting. The poor little conjurer was nervous, and evidently required all the robust encouragement of the good-natured detective to sustain him in going through with the task he had been persuaded to undertake.