WILIAM bent Pitman, if this should meet the eye of, he will hear of something to his advantage at the far end of the main line departure platform, Waterloo Station, 2 to 4 P.M. today.

‘Is that in print?’ cried Pitman.  ’Let me see it!  Bent?  It must be Dent!  Something to my advantage?  Mr Finsbury, excuse me offering a word of caution; I am aware how strangely this must sound in your ears, but there are domestic reasons why this little circumstance might perhaps be better kept between ourselves.  Mrs Pitman—­my dear Sir, I assure you there is nothing dishonourable in my secrecy; the reasons are domestic, merely domestic; and I may set your conscience at rest when I assure you all the circumstances are known to our common friend, your excellent nephew, Mr Michael, who has not withdrawn from me his esteem.’

‘A word is enough, Mr Pitman,’ said Joseph, with one of his Oriental reverences.

Half an hour later, the drawing-master found Michael in bed and reading a book, the picture of good-humour and repose.

‘Hillo, Pitman,’ he said, laying down his book, ’what brings you here at this inclement hour?  Ought to be in church, my boy!’

‘I have little thought of church today, Mr Finsbury,’ said the drawing-master.  ‘I am on the brink of something new, Sir.’  And he presented the advertisement.

‘Why, what is this?’ cried Michael, sitting suddenly up.  He studied it for half a minute with a frown.  ’Pitman, I don’t care about this document a particle,’ said he.

‘It will have to be attended to, however,’ said Pitman.

‘I thought you’d had enough of Waterloo,’ returned the lawyer.  ’Have you started a morbid craving?  You’ve never been yourself anyway since you lost that beard.  I believe now it was where you kept your senses.’

‘Mr Finsbury,’ said the drawing-master, ’I have tried to reason this matter out, and, with your permission, I should like to lay before you the results.’

‘Fire away,’ said Michael; ’but please, Pitman, remember it’s Sunday, and let’s have no bad language.’

‘There are three views open to us,’ began Pitman.  ’First this may be connected with the barrel; second, it may be connected with Mr Semitopolis’s statue; and third, it may be from my wife’s brother, who went to Australia.  In the first case, which is of course possible, I confess the matter would be best allowed to drop.’

‘The court is with you there, Brother Pitman,’ said Michael.

‘In the second,’ continued the other, ’it is plainly my duty to leave no stone unturned for the recovery of the lost antique.’

’My dear fellow, Semitopolis has come down like a trump; he has pocketed the loss and left you the profit.  What more would you have?’ enquired the lawyer.

’I conceive, sir, under correction, that Mr Semitopolis’s generosity binds me to even greater exertion,’ said the drawing-master.  ’The whole business was unfortunate; it was—­I need not disguise it from you—­it was illegal from the first:  the more reason that I should try to behave like a gentleman,’ concluded Pitman, flushing.