"What the devil does Ferguson mean by discussing my business?" said the colonel wrathfully. "What did he tell you?" "He told me that the package was received and that he had put it with the other in your safe." "Package!" The colonel's voice was quiet, almost inaudible. "The package was received! When was the package received?" "Yesterday," said Pinto. "He said it came along and he put it with the other. Now what have you got in----" But the colonel was walking towards his bedroom with rapid strides. Presently he reappeared with his hat and coat on. "Come with me, Crewe. We'll go down to the bank," he said. "You stay here, Pinto, and report anything that happens." When they were on their way he confided to the other: "I have a little money put aside," he said, "and I'm willing to finance you. You haven't been a bad fellow, Crewe. The only rotten turn you've ever done us is introducing that damned fellow, 'Snow' Gregory, and you didn't even do that, for I had met him before you brought him from Monte--which reminds me. Have you found out anything about him?" "I have a letter here from Oxford," said Crewe, putting his hand in his pocket. "I hadn't opened my letters when Pinto came. You'll find all the news there, if there is any news." He handed the envelope to the other and the colonel transferred it to his pocket. "That'll keep," he said. "What was I talking about? Oh, yes, Gregory. The whole of this business has come about through Gregory. Gregory made Jack o' Judgment, and Jack o' Judgment has ruined us." He sprang from the taxi at the door of the bank with an agile step, and went straight to the manager's office. Without any preliminary he began: "What is this package that came for me yesterday, Ferguson?" The manager looked surprised. "It was an ordinary package, similar to that which you put in the safe the other day. It was sealed and wrapped and had your name on it. I rather wondered you hadn't brought it yourself, but it was put into your safe in the presence of two clerks." "I'd like to see it," said the colonel. Ferguson led the way down the stairs to the vaults and snapped back the lock of Safe 20. As he did so Crewe was conscious of a faint, musty odour. "I smell something," said the colonel suspiciously. He reached his hand into the safe and pulled open the long drawer, and as he did so a cloud of sickly-smelling vapour rose from its interior. For the first time Crewe heard Boundary groan. He pulled the drawer out under the light and looked in. There was nothing but a black mass of pulp, out of which glinted and gleamed a dozen pin-points of light.