“But how could it help you to go several thousand pounds deeper into debt?” “My dear Lady C., how unsophisticated you are! We pawned the things for a thousand pounds at Grinling’s. It’s a capital place for business of that sort. No questions asked, and no fear of things being lent on hire, as sometimes happens. You see, we got all that ready money without laying any out, and paid all up as soon as we were better off.” The result of some such talk would be that Lady C. and her kindred spirits would do a rather tall business with Edison, Meeson, and Grinling, unconscious of the fact that all three were embodied in the persons of Davison and his charming, sympathetic wife. Or the prospective heir to vast estates would forestall his inheritance by mortgaging his interest at Robson’s estate office at a ruinous percentage, being advised thereto by his friend Davison. It was this complicated nature of his business which made Davison so nervous about employing the police. He didn’t mind trusting us. But he gave the force more credit for bungling, and preferred to lose the things, which, after all, were really his own, since they were not paid for, rather than risk exposure. Grinling’s didn’t look at all like a pawnshop, and it was, oddly enough, only patronised by people who knew the Davisons or some of their friends. To all outward seeming, it was but a middle-class private dwelling, hardly likely to tempt a gang of burglars. Even the servants were supposed to be in profound ignorance of the nature of Mr Grinling’s business, or of the contents of a certain room on the third storey, into which they were never admitted. “Do you think Mr Grinling requires a new set of blinds for his windows?” inquired Mr Bell. “If so, I will send a man to measure the windows, and to show you patterns.” Mr Davison had employed Messrs Bell and White before, and understood my uncle’s drift at once. “By all means,” he replied. “You will find him prepared to receive your messenger in an hour.” Just an hour later Adam Henniker was interviewing Mr Grinling, who had already been advised of the intended visit. Could the two manservants have seen the systematic way in which the supposed blindmaker pried, peeped, and smelled in every corner, and over every inch of the room from which the theft had been made, they would have been greatly surprised. As it was they were a little astonished, for the man actually went into the back area, and measured the lower windows for outside sunblinds. “My goodness, I wonder what’ll happen next!” said the housemaid. “The master must be thinking of getting married, and if he brings a missis here we shall have to mind our p’s and q’s. Last week the sweeps and a lot of new furniture, and this week new blinds! We’re comin’ out, ain’t we?”