I left the shop, thanking the chance that had led me to it. In the information I had gained there was pregnant matter for thought. That a wealthy gentleman like Mr. Oliver Nisbet should call in such a man in a case of life and death was something more than strange; it was in the highest degree suspicious, and I felt confident that some information of importance to my mission was to be elicited from one whose necessities, as Bob had observed, might lay him open to the temptation of a bribe. South Lambeth was a long way from the north of London; but so anxious was I to lose no time, that I determined to proceed there at once. With this intention I walked into the wider thoroughfares to look for a cab, and was about to hail one when a man walking quickly toward me, stopped as we came close to each other, and accosted me. "Why, Mr. Emery," he said, "I heard you were in Brighton." It was Mr. Dickson, the private inquiry agent. "I am in London, as you see," I replied. "Who told you I was in Brighton?" "I learned it at your house two hours ago." I groaned inwardly, thinking of what was in store for me if my good wife discovered that I was deceiving her. "Did you see my wife?" "No, a servant answered the bell, and said you had run down to the seaside for the day." "I wished the business between us," I said rather severely, "to be kept secret. What took you to my house, Mr. Dickson?" "Oh, there was no fear of my saying anything about the commission you gave me. I did not even leave my name." I breathed more freely. "I went to see you because I had something to tell you which I thought you would like to know immediately." "What is it?" "Mr. Nisbet is in London," replied Mr. Dickson. CHAPTER XX. DR. COOPER. I caught my breath. There was nothing strange in the information; for all I knew Mr. Nisbet might have been in London for years, as ignorant of my existence as, until lately, I had been of his; but the accidental discoveries of the last few hours seemed to me to be pregnant with important possibilities. "I am glad you have lost no time in telling me," I said. "How did you discover it?" "Almost by accident. I have a partner, whose methods are of the quiet order, I being the active worker in our business, and it is he who made the discovery--almost by accident, as I have said. Nisbet is not a very uncommon name, but tack Oliver to it, and it becomes exceptional. Yesterday there arrived from the Continent a gentleman bearing those two names, and he is now at the Hôtel Métropole." This destroyed the hypothesis that Mr. Nisbet had been a constant resident in London since my introduction to the skeleton cat. "From what part of the Continent?" I inquired. "Lastly from Paris; but by way of Paris from any one of a hundred different places. Can you give me a personal description of the gentleman?" "No," I replied, "I have never seen him; but I can obtain it for you."