He led Murgatroyd to the end of the street, where stood a corner tavern, into a side-door of which Pratt turned as if he were well acquainted with the geography of the place. Walking down a narrow passage he conducted his companion into a small parlour, at that moment untenanted, pointed him to a seat in the corner, and rang the bell. Five minutes later, having provided Murgatroyd with rum and water and a cigar, he turned on him with a direct question. "Look here!" he said in a low voice. "Would a hundred pounds be any use to you?" Murgatroyd's cheeks flushed. "It 'ud be a fortune!" he answered with fervour. "A hundred pound! Lor' bless you, Mr. Pratt, it's many a year since I saw a hundred pound--of my own--all in one lump!" Pratt pulled out his roll of bank-notes, fluttered it in his companion's face, laid it on the table, and set an ashtray on it. "There's a hundred pounds there!" he said, "It's yours to pick up--if you'll do a little job for me. Easy job, too!--you'll never earn a hundred pounds so easy in your life!" Murgatroyd pricked up his ears. According to his ideas, money easily come by was seldom honestly earned. He stirred uncomfortably in his seat. "So long as it's a straight job," he muttered. "I don't want----" "Straight enough--as straight as it's easy," answered Pratt. "It may seem a bit mysterious, but there's reasons for that. I give you my word it's all right--all a mere bit of diplomacy--and that nobody'll ever know you're in it--that is, beyond a certain stage--and that there's no danger to you." "What is it?" asked Murgatroyd, still uneasy and doubtful. Pratt pulled the evening paper out of his pocket and showed Murgatroyd the advertisement signed Halstead & Byner. "You see that?" he said. "Information wanted about Parrawhite. Do you remember Parrawhite? He once served you with some papers in that affair in which we were against you." "I remember him," answered Murgatroyd. "I've seen him in here now and again. So he's wanted, is he? I didn't know he'd left the town." "Left last November," said Pratt. "And--there are folks--influential folks, as you can guess, seeing that they can throw a hundred pounds away!--who don't want any inquiries made for him in Barford. They don't mind--those folks--how many inquiries and searches are made for him anywhere else, but--not here!" "Well?" asked Murgatroyd anxiously. "This is it," replied Pratt. "You do a bit now and then as agent for some of these shipping lines. You book passages for emigrants--and for other people, going to New Zealand or Canada or Timbuctoo--never mind where. Now then--couldn't you remember--I'm sure you could--that you booked a passage for Parrawhite to America last November? Come! It's an easy matter to remember is that--for a hundred pounds." Murgatroyd's thin fingers trembled a little as he picked up his glass. "What do you want me to do--exactly?" he asked.