On the second day the detective presented himself with the seven hundred pounds in his pocket, the money which he devoutly hoped would soon pass from his keeping. Newcombe was much better, had recovered marvellously in that couple of days. His lean face had filled out; there were no longer about him the signs of a deadly and wasting illness. He greeted his visitor with a rough good-humour. Grewgus, a shrewd judge of men, put him down as a good-tempered fellow in the main, inclined to be quarrelsome and vindictive when the drink overtook him, rather a man of moods and apt to act on impulse. “Come along, mister, glad to see you. The doctor says I have made a marvellous rally. I’m a different man from what I was when you last saw me. A lot of fight yet left in old Tom Newcombe.” Grewgus paid him handsome compliments on his changed appearance and laid on a little flattery. “Even now you look as if you could knock spots off some of the young ones. I should say you would be as fit as a fiddle in another week or ten days.” The Colonial laughed his loud, hoarse laugh. “I guess a certain person will be bitterly disappointed to find his old pal is so tough. Ha ha! he’s wondering what has become of me. His money has come right enough, but I haven’t acknowledged it yet. I don’t quite know what I’m going to do about that. It depends.” Grewgus did not answer. He was fairly confident he had won the day, but he did not wish to spoil matters by hurrying them unduly. He smiled agreeably and waited for Newcombe to speak again. “Well, mister, I’ve decided to accept your offer. Have you brought the ‘boodle’? If you haven’t we can adjourn this meeting till to-morrow. Another day will make no difference to me.” Grewgus drew out a bulky pocket-book and flourished it invitingly in front of his companion. “I’m a man of my word, Newcombe. I wasn’t, of course, absolutely sure of what your decision might be, but I brought the money on the off-chance. You would like me to hand it over to you at once, eh?” The man’s eyes had an avaricious gleam at this invitation. The detective thought it was a long time since he had handled such a sum. “What do _you_ think?” he said with a chuckle. “The money first, the information after. You would do the same in my place now, wouldn’t you, if you had the brains of a mouse?” Grewgus could be as frank as anybody, when there was no necessity to beat about the bush. “I trust you more than you trust me, Newcombe. Here is the money. Count it over before you start.” Newcombe began to count over the money. Suddenly he looked up at his companion with a rather aggrieved air. “I say, you didn’t answer that question. Wouldn’t you do the same in my place? It’s a matter of business, ain’t it, pure and simple?” “Of course, my good fellow, I am not complaining. If I were you I would certainly have the money before I opened my mouth.”