The two men's hands met in a firm, friendly grasp. "This _is_ jolly," said the younger of the two, as they walked out to the big car. "And I'm ever so much obliged to you for letting me bring Span!" And Panton did think it very jolly of Varick to have left his guests, and come all this way through the cold to meet him. It was good of him, too, to have let him bring his dog. As they drove slowly through the picturesque High Street of the famous town, Varick's friend looked about him with keen interest and enjoyment. He had an eager, intelligent, alert mind, and he had never been to Newmarket before. Once they got clear of the town, and were speeding through the pleasant, typically English country lanes which give Suffolk a peculiarly soothing charm Span (who was a rather large liver-and-white spaniel), lying stretched out sedately at their feet, Varick suddenly asked carelessly: "No more news of my enemy, Miss Pigchalke, I suppose?" Panton turned to him quickly in the rushing wind: "Yes, something _has_ happened. But I didn't think it worth writing to you about. An extraordinary advertisement appeared about a month ago in one of the popular Sunday papers, and Mrs. Bilton--you remember the woman--?" Varick shook his head. He looked exceedingly disturbed and annoyed, and the man now sitting by his side suddenly regretted that he had said anything about that absurd advertisement. "Mrs. Bilton was the woman whom I recommended to you as a charwoman, soon after you were settled down at Redsands." "Yes, I remember the name now. What of her?" "She came up to see me one evening about a month ago, and she brought the paper--the _News of the World_ I think it was--with her." "Yes," said Varick shortly. "Yes--go on, Panton. What was in the advertisement?" "The advertisement simply asked for information about you and your doings, past and present, and offered a reward for any information of importance. It was very oddly worded. What I should call an amateur advertisement. Mrs. Bilton came up to consult me as to whether she should write in answer to it. Of course I strongly advised her to do nothing of the kind. As a matter of fact"--Dr. Panton chuckled--"I have reason to believe she _did_ write, but I need hardly say that, as far as she was concerned, nothing came of it!" "I wish you could remember exactly how the advertisement was worded?" said Varick. It was clear that he felt very much disturbed. "I'm sorry I didn't keep a copy of it; all I can tell you is that it asked for information concerning the past life and career of Lionel Varick, _sometime of Redsands and Chichester._" "Chichester?" repeated Varick mechanically.