"Raegenssen's. I'm head clerk and in practice semi-manager. They haven't got much of a staff." "That's a pity, too," murmured Mr. Teal. "Temptation never did anybody any good; and you weren't built for a crook, Mattock." "I'm glad of that," said Mattock, surveying Mr. Teal's girth pointedly. Teal fingered his chin, his eyes on the other man's face. It was a refined face, lined bitterly. The man was educated--Teal knew that, for he himself had arrested Mattock for his first and only crime. Teal also knew what the court that sentenced Mattock for forgery never knew--why the crime was committed. "Let's see," mused Teal. "Hannassay put you away." "That's true." "A cheque--you were his private secretary, weren't you? And he saw to it you got the full stretch--not even a first offender's chance. That's right, isn't it?" "It is." Mr. Teal's contemplative fingering of his chin continued. He would have been better pleased if Mattock had been stung to a storm of abuse and threats, for the only dangerous criminal is the one who hugs his grievances. "You don't love him much, do you?" "Would you?" countered the other. "Possibly not," admitted Mr. Teal. "Did they ever recover the money you drew on that cheque? Six thousand, wasn't it? You must have a tidy bit put away--why go clerking? Or did Joan throw you over?" "That's my business," said Mattock icily. "What exactly are you trying to do, Teal--rub in my disgrace, or persuade me to commit another crime so that you can make me a thorough old lag?" Mr. Teal shrugged. His sleepy eyes were nearly closed. "I'm sorry you're such a fool, Mattock," he drawled. "What I'm trying to do is to save you from making an utter mess of the rest of your life." "Thanks," said Mattock curtly. "And now do you mind going and preaching to someone else?" "I will," promised Mr. Teal. "Come along and have lunch, Mattock, and let's talk things over." He rolled in to report progress to Storm later, and told of an unsatisfactory conversation. "He thawed after a bit, but since he was liquid air to start with he wasn't much better than an iceberg even then. A card--he was a gentleman all right, once, and still talks like one. One of the Somerset Mattocks--they had pots of money once, and then went bust. Mattock fell in with Joan Sands, Birdie's sister. She got very ill. The docs. said the only way to save her life was to operate and then send her to the south of France for a long rest. Mattock couldn't pay, and Birdie was in stir and never had much money anyway. He was defiant and insolent in court, otherwise he might have got off a bit lighter, in spite of all the fuss Hannassay kicked up at the time about making examples and so on. He's the hottest man in the country on crooks, and they all hate him like a pussyfoot hates beer. My own idea is that Mattock begged Hannassay to help him out and was turned down. Hannassay's as hard as tungsten, in any case." "What about Snooper?" asked Storm.