Green sat up in his chair with a jerk. "_You_ been gettin’ one o’ them notices?" he asked. Forrester took out the warning message and laid it on Green’s desk. The detective’s eyes sparkled as he leaned over and closely examined it. "Gee!" he exclaimed, at length. "I’ve just been dyin’ to get onto this case. So _you’re_ one o’ them rich guys they’re after, eh?" "I gather from what you say, Mr. Green, that you know something about the matter," said Forrester. "_Do_ I?" cried Green. "I’ll show you how I’ve been followin’ that thing up." He reached into a drawer of his desk, drew out a folder and opened it before him. Forrester saw that it contained newspaper clippings and various hand-written notes. "I’ll tell you, Mister," said Green, "I’ve been followin’ this here case right from the start. I’ve got some theories, too, that I ain’t been tellin’ to nobody. I’ve just been itchin’ to get busy on it, but you know us guys have to make a livin’—we can’t work on a case for nothin’." "Well," informed Forrester, "I’m going to give you a chance to see what you can do." Forrester was not wholly taken with Green’s personality, but the man certainly seemed to know something about the case, and the fact that he already had theories was a hopeful sign. "There’s the notice," continued Forrester, "which I received in the mail this morning. It gives me until Saturday at midnight to pay over the money or take the consequences. Now, I’d rather present you with the ten thousand dollars than give up to these people." Green bounced in his chair. "Do you _mean_ that?" he gasped. "Certainly," answered Forrester. "You bring these men to justice and the ten thousand is yours. In the meantime, I’ll pay you your regular fees and expenses." Green ran a finger around inside of his collar and stared at Forrester for a minute or two. It was quite evident that he was thoroughly stunned at the offer which had just been made to him. Then, realizing that he was making a poor showing before an important client, he straightened up in his chair and assumed the dignified attitude which he thought in keeping with his profession and the handling of such a momentous case. "I’m glad to see that you have such a complete record there," commented Forrester. "I’m anxious to get the full details and history of this affair." Green laid his dead cigar on the edge of the desk and pulled his chair closer, clearing his throat as he did so. "The case o’ the ’Friends o’ the Poor’," he announced, "first became known to the public about this time a year ago. Here we have the matter o’ one Frederick Prentice." Green picked up the first clipping. "Yes, I know all about that case," interrupted Forrester. "Prentice is an old friend of mine." "Ah—h—h!" breathed Green, looking much impressed as he laid the clipping and a few others aside. "Maybe you knew _this_ guy, too—Booth Warren, the banker?" "Yes, I knew him very well," returned Forrester.