“Oh no,” said the other, “Candy has not the facilities for finding people that we have.  But it takes some time for me to communicate with head-quarters and for you to hear from there; and so, as I said before, there isn’t an hour to be lost.  But you’re all right now.”

“I expected you to give me more definite information than this,” said Lawrence, “but now, I suppose, I must wait until I hear from New York, at five dollars a message.”

“My business is to enlist subscribers,” said the other.  “You couldn’t expect me to tell you anything definite when I am in an out-of-the-way place like this.”

“Did you come down to Virginia on purpose to find me?” asked Lawrence.

“No,” said the man, “I am on my way to Mobile, and I only lose one train by stopping here to attend to your business.”

“How did you know I was here?”

“Ah,” said the anti-detective, with a smile, “as I told you, we have facilities.  I knew you were at this house, and I came here, straight as a die.”

“It is truly wonderful,” said Lawrence, “how accurate your information is.  And now I will tell you something you can have, gratis.  You have made one of the most stupid blunders that I ever heard of.  Mr Keswick went away from here, nearly a week ago, and I am the Mr Croft whom you supposed to be in pursuit of him.”

The man started, and gave vent to an unpleasant ejaculation.

“To prove it,” said Lawrence, “there is my card, and,” putting his hand into his pocket, “here are several letters addressed to me.  And I want to let you know that I am not in pursuit of Mr Keswick; that he and I are very good friends; and that I have frequently seen him of late; and so you can just drop this business at once.  And as for Candy, he has no right to take a single step for which I have not authorized him.  I merely employed him to get Mr Keswick’s address, which I wished for a very friendly motive.  I shall write to Candy at once.”

The man’s face was not an agreeable study.  He looked angry; he looked baffled; and yet he looked incredulous.  “Now, come,” said he, “if you are not Keswick, what did you pay me that money for?”

“I paid it to you,” said Lawrence, “because I wanted to find out what dirty business you were doing in my name.  I have had the worth of my money, and you can now go.”

The man did not go, but stood gazing at Lawrence in a very peculiar way.  “If Mr Keswick isn’t here,” he said, “I believe you are here waiting for him, and I am going to stay and warn him.  People don’t set private detectives on other men’s tracks just for friendly motives.”

Lawrence’s face flushed and he made a step forward, but suddenly checking himself, he looked at the man for a moment and then said:  “I suppose you want me to understand that if I become one of your subscribers in my own name, you will be willing to withhold the information you intended to give Mr Keswick.”