"Then you'll know that you goes in at an archway, turns in at your right, and there you are," he said. "Well, Shanks and me, we goes in, casual like, not expecting anything that you wouldn't expect. But we'd no sooner sat us down in that smoking-room and taken an observation that I sees the very man that I'd seen at the Goose and Crane, him that I'd taken for Baxter. There he was, in a corner of the room, and the other smart-dressed man with him, their glasses in front of 'em, and their cigars in their mouths. And with 'em there was something else that I certainly didn't go for to expect to see in that place." "What?" asked Scarterfield. "What I seen plenty of, time and again, in various parts o' this here world, and ain't so mighty fond o' seeing," answered Fish, with a scowl. "A chink!" "A--what?" demanded the detective. "A--chink?" "He means a Chinaman," I said. "That's it, isn't it, Fish?" "That's it, guv'nor," assented Fish. "A yellow-skinned, slit-eyed, thin-fingered Chinee, with a face like a image and a voice like silk--which," he added, scowling more than ever, "is pison that I can't abide, nohow, having seen more than enough of." I looked at Scarterfield. He had been attentive enough all through the course of our visitor's story, but I saw that his attention had redoubled since the last few words. "A Chinaman!" he said in a low voice. "With--him!" "As I say, master, a Chinee, and with that there man, what, when all's said and done, I'm certain was and is Netherfield Baxter," reiterated Fish. "But mind you, and here's the queer part of it, he wasn't no common Chinaman. Not the sort that you'll see by the score down in Limehouse way, or in Liverpool, or in Cardiff--not at all. Lord bless you, this here chap was smarter dressed than t'other two! Swell-made dark clothes, gold-handled umbrella, kid gloves on his blooming hands, and a silk top-hat--a reg'lar dude! But--a chink!" "Well?" said Scarterfield, after a pause, during which he seemed to be thinking a good deal. "Anything happen?" "Nothing happened, master--what should happen?" replied Fish. "Them here were in their corner, and Jim Shanks and me, we was in ours. They were busied talking amongst themselves--of course, we heard nothing. And at last all three went out." "Did the man you take to be Baxter look at you?" asked Scarterfield. "Never showed a sign of it!" declared Fish. "Him and t'other passed us on their way to the door, but he took no notice." "See him again anywhere?" inquired Scarterfield. "No, I didn't" replied Fish. "I left Hull early next morning, and went to see relatives o' mine at South Shields. Only came home a day or two since, and happening to pass the time o' day with widow Ormthwaite this morning, I told her what I've told you. Then she told me that you was inquiring about Baxter, guv'nor--so I comes along here to see you. What might you be wanting with my gentleman, now?"