“Entirely between ourselves and this most comfortable room, I have never believed in his existence for a moment,” replied Whyland readily. “But what could I do? That young rip, Wal Snyder, swore to having seen him, and I couldn’t shake him.” “Whether young Snyder saw him or not,” remarked the herbalist, “your reward has made him a very real person to the poorer classes of this district. One or other of my customers sees him every night, usually during the hour which immediately follows the closing of the public houses. And, as a rule, they come here hot-foot to tell me about it.” “I’m sorry, Mr. Ludgrove,” laughed Whyland. “I wouldn’t have done it if I could have helped it. By the way, I suppose that you are perfectly satisfied that none of these odd customers of yours know anything about this business?” “Perfectly,” replied Mr. Ludgrove. “They are a strange lot, I admit, professing a code of morals which in some respects would shock the conscience of a savage, and many of them are not above any petty dishonesty. But murder, deliberate and planned murder, that is, is outside their imagination. Besides, the way they know one another’s most secret actions is almost uncanny. If one of them knew anything about these deaths, they would all know within a very short time, and the secret would be a secret no longer. Of course, they all come to me with long and complicated tales of how they could tell me the name of the man who did it, if I will give them the money in advance. But I am well accustomed to that, it is a symptom which follows every crime committed in this district.” “You’re quite right, Mr. Ludgrove, I know something of the ways of these people,” said Hanslet. “When they talk like that, you may be sure that they know nothing. It’s when they avoid the subject that you may learn something. Well, I’m very glad to have met you. There’s just one thing I should like to say. You have received this counter, which was evidently slipped in here while all of you were thinking of nothing but the death of Mr. Copperdock. You, and those whose business it is to guard you, are therefore fore-warned. As long as you do what we ask you to, I do not believe that you are in any danger.” Mr. Ludgrove smiled. “Mr. Copperdock was also guarded and fore-warned,” he said quietly. Whyland swore softly. “I believe Copperdock committed suicide out of sheer funk,” he said. “Anyhow, I can’t see any way in which he can possibly have been murdered.” “Well, I shall not commit suicide just yet, I promise you that,” replied Mr. Ludgrove. It was not more than five minutes after the departure of Hanslet and Whyland that the herbalist heard a soft knock upon the door of the shop. He went to open it, and found Ted and Ivy standing on the step, closely scrutinized by the man in plain clothes who had been deputed to look after Mr. Ludgrove’s safety.