"We can only speculate as yet. I have put my hand on seven doubtful callers on Monday and Tuesday last. Two others he had ignored for some reason; the remaining two safes had not been allotted. There is one point that raises an interesting speculation." "What is that, Max?" "The 'Actor' has one associate, a man known as 'Billy the Fondant,' but beyond that--with the exception of his wife, of course--he does not usually trust anyone. It is plain, however, that at least seven men must latterly have been kept under close observation. It has occurred to me--" "Yes, Max?" "I have wondered whether Harry has enlisted the innocent services of one or other of our private inquiry offices." "Scarcely," smiled the professional. "It would hardly pass muster." "Oh, I don't know. Mrs. Harry, in the character of a jealous wife or a suspicious sweetheart, might reasonably--" Mr. Carlyle's smile suddenly faded. "By Jupiter!" he exclaimed. "I remember--" "Yes, Louis?" prompted Carrados, with laughter in his voice. "I remember that I must telephone to a client before Beedel comes," concluded Mr. Carlyle, rising in some haste. At the door he almost ran into the subdued director, who was wringing his hands in helpless protest at a new stroke of calamity. "Mr. Carrados," wailed the poor old gentleman in a tremulous bleat, "Mr. Carrados, there is another now--Sir Benjamin Gump. He insists on seeing me. You will not--you will not desert us?" "I should have to stay a week," replied Carrados briskly, "and I'm just off now. There will be a procession. Mr. Carlyle will support you, I am sure." He nodded "Good-morning" straight into the eyes of each and found his way out with the astonishing certainty of movement that made so many forget his infirmity. Possibly he was not desirous of encountering Draycott's embarrassed gratitude again, for in less than a minute they heard the swirl of his departing car. "Never mind, my dear sir," Mr. Carlyle assured his client, with impenetrable complacency. "Never mind. _I_ will remain instead. Perhaps I had better make myself known to Sir Benjamin at once." The director turned on him the pleading, trustful look of a cornered dormouse. "He is in the basement," he whispered. "I shall be in the boardroom--if necessary." Mr. Carlyle had no difficulty in discovering the centre of interest in the basement. Sir Benjamin was expansive and reserved, bewildered and decisive, long-winded and short-tempered, each in turn and more or less all at once. He had already demanded the attention of the manager, Professor Bulge, Draycott and two underlings to his case and they were now involved in a babel of inutile reiteration. The inquiry agent was at once drawn into a circle of interrogation that he did his best to satisfy impressively while himself learning the new facts.