William took his hands from beneath his cloak, and held them out. They were of the darkest possible colour, next to black; the shade called in the glove trade "corbeau." "These are all I have in use at present," he said. "They are nearly new." "Have you worn any light gloves lately? Tan or fawn?" "I scarcely ever wear tan gloves. I have not put on a pair for months." They arrived at the butcher's and entered. White was standing at his block, chopping a bone in two. He lifted his head, and touched his hair to Mr. Ashley. "Is this the gentleman who had the money of you for the cheque?" began Sergeant Delves, without circumlocution. Mr. White put down his chopper, and took a survey of William. "It's like the cloak and cap that the other wore," said he. Sergeants take up words quickly. "That the 'other' wore? Then you do not think it was this one?" "No, I don't," decided the butcher. "The one who brought the cheque was a shorter man." "Shorter!" repeated Mr. Ashley, remembering it had been said in his counting-house that the man who appeared to be personating William was thought to have the advantage the other way. "You mean taller, White." "No, sir, I mean shorter. I am sure he was shorter. Not much, though." There was a pause. "You observed that his gloves were tan, I think," said the sergeant. "Something of that sort. Clean light gloves they were, such as gentlemen wear." "Finally, then, White, you decide that this was not the gentleman?" "Not he," said the butcher. "It's not the same voice." "The voice goes for nothing," said Sergeant Delves. "The other one had plums in his mouth." "Well," said the butcher, "I think I should have known Mr. Halliburton, in spite of any disguise, had he come in." "Don't make too sure, White," said the sergeant, with one of his wise nods. "He who came might have turned out to be just as familiar to you as Mr. Halliburton, if he had let you see his face. The fact is, White, there's some one going about with a cloak like this, and we want to find out who it is. Mr. Halliburton would give a pound out of his pocket, I'm sure, to know." "I'd give two," said Mr. Ashley, with a smile. "Sir," asked the butcher of Mr. Ashley, "what about the money? Shall I lose it?" "Now, White, just wait a bit," put in the sergeant. "If it was a gentleman that changed it, perhaps we shall get it out of _him_. Any way, you keep quiet." They left the shop--standing a moment together before parting. The sergeant's road lay one way; Mr. Ashley's and William's another. "This only makes the matter more obscure," observed Mr. Ashley, alluding to what had passed. "Not at all. It makes it all the more clear," was the cool reply of the sergeant. "White says the man was shorter than Mr. Halliburton."