“Chalk Farm,” observed Hewitt, with a nod.

“The name I do not know, sor, but that’s fwhat he said.  Then he looks at me onaisy for a little, an’ at last he sez:  ’Wud ye loike a small job, me good man, well paid?’

“‘Faith,’ sez I, ‘’tis that will suit me well.’

“‘Then, see here,’ sez he, ‘I should have got out at that station, havin’ particular business; havin’ missed, I must sen’ a telegrammer from Euston.  Now, here’s a bag,’ sez he, ’a bag full of imporrtant papers for my solicitor—­imporrtant to me, ye ondershtand, not worth the shine av a brass farden to a sowl else—­an’ I want ’em tuk on to him.  Take you this bag,’ he sez, ‘an’ go you straight out wid it at Euston an’ get a cab.  I shall stay in the station a bit to see to the telegrammer.  Dhrive out av the station, across the road outside, an’ wait there five minuts by the clock.  Ye ondershtand?  Wait five minuts, an, maybe I’ll come an’ join ye.  If I don’t ‘twill be bekase I’m detained onexpected, an’ then ye’ll dhrive to my solicitor straight.  Here’s his address, if ye can read writin’,’ an’ he put ut on a piece av paper.  He gave me half-a-crown for the cab, an’ I tuk his bag.”

“One moment—­have you the paper with the address now?”

“I have not, sor.  I missed ut afther the blayguards overset me yesterday; but the solicitor’s name was Hollams, an’ a liberal jintleman wid his money he was, too, by that same token.”

“What was his address?”

“’Twas in Chelsea, and ’twas Gold or Golden something, which I know by the good token av fwhat he gave me; but the number I misremember.”

Hewitt turned to his directory.  “Gold Street is the place, probably,” he said, “and it seems to be a street chiefly of private houses.  You would be able to point out the house if you were taken there, I suppose?”

“I should that, sor; indade, I was thinkin’ av goin’ there an’ tellin’ Misther Hollams all my throubles, him havin’ been so kind.”

“Now tell me exactly what instructions the man in the train gave you, and what happened?”

“He sez:  ‘You ask for Misther Hollams, an’ see nobody else.  Tell him ye’ve brought the sparks from Misther W.’”

I fancied I could see a sudden twinkle in Hewitt’s eye, but he made no other sign, and the Irishman proceeded.

“‘Sparks?’ sez I.  ‘Yes, sparks,’ sez he.  ’Misther Hollams will know; ’tis our jokin’ word for ’em; sometimes papers is sparks when they set a lawsuit ablaze,’ and he laffed.  ’But be sure ye say the sparks from Misther W.,’ he sez again, ‘bekase then he’ll know ye’re jinuine an’ he’ll pay ye han’some.  Say Misther W. sez you’re to have your reg’lars, if ye like.  D’ye mind that?’

“‘Ay,’ sez I, ‘that I’m to have my reg’lars.’

“Well, sor, I tuk the bag and wint out of the station, tuk the cab, an’ did all as he towld me.  I waited the foive minuts, but he niver came, so off I druv to Misther Hollams, and he threated me han’some, sor.”