Half an hour later, Starmidge found himself closeted with another lot of bankers. But these were younger men, who were quicker to grasp situations and comprehend points, and they quickly understood what the detective was after: moreover, they were already well posted up in those details of the Scarnham mystery which had already appeared in the newspapers. "What you want," said one of them, a young and energetic man, addressing Starmidge at the end of their preliminary conversation, "is to find out for what purpose Mrs. Lester gave Mr. Frederick Hollis ten thousand pounds?" "Precisely," replied Starmidge. "It will go far towards clearing up a good many things." "I have no doubt Mrs. Lester will tell you readily enough," said the banker. "In fact, as things are, I should say she'll only be too glad to give you any information you want. That ten thousand pounds being in Messrs. Vanderkiste's hands, in Hollis's name, and Hollis being dead, there will be bother--not serious, of course, but still formal bother--about recovering it. Very well--Mrs. Lester, who, I may tell you, is a wealthy customer of ours, lives in the country as a rule, and I happen to know she's there now. I'll write down her address. Tell her, by all means, that you have been to see us on the matter." Starmidge left Mr. Linthwaite talking with the London & Universal people; he himself, now that he had got the desired information, had no more to say. Outside the bank he opened the slip of paper which had just been handed to him, and saw that another journey lay before him. Mrs. Lester lived at Lowdale Court, near Chesham. CHAPTER XII ABOUT CENT PER CENT. Starmidge, lingering a moment on the steps of the bank to consider whether he would go straight to Chesham or repair to headquarters for a consultation with his superior, was suddenly joined by the manager who had just given him his information. "You are going down to Lowdale Court?" asked the manager. "During the morning--yes," answered Starmidge. "If it will be any help to you," said the manager, "I'll ring up Mrs. Lester on the telephone, and let her know you're coming. She's rather a nervous woman and it will pave the way for you if I give you a sort of introduction. Besides--" here he paused, and looked at the detective with an inquiring air--"don't you think Mrs. Lester had better be warned--at once--not to speak of this matter until she's seen you?" "You think she may be approached?" asked Starmidge. The manager wagged his head and smiled knowingly. "I think there's something so very queer about this affair that Mrs. Lester ought to be seen at once," he said. "She shall be!" answered Starmidge. "Tell her I'll be down there within two hours--I'll motor there. Thank you for your suggestion. Now I'll just run to headquarters and then be straight off."