“How long will it take, Miss Du Plessis?” he asked.  “A few minutes,” she answered, “a quarter of an hour at most.”

“Then, if you will allow me, I shell be heppy to be your escort, and indicate the features that should be emphasized for purposes of recognition.  As I ride, I ken easily overtake the perty.”  This being agreed to, Mr. Bangs asked Carruthers to let him look over Nash’s last memoranda, as they might be useful, and any recently acquired papers.  Among the latter, taken from Newcome, was a paper of inestimable value in the form of a chart, indicating, undoubtedly, the way to the abode of Serlizer and the Select Encampment generally.  In the memoranda of Nash’s note-book the detective found a late entry F. al.  H. inf. sub pot. prom, monst. via R., and drew the Squire’s attention to it.  “Look here, Squire, et our dog Letin again; F. perheps Foster alias H, Herding, informer, under my power (that’s through some crime entered in this book), premises to show the way to Rawdon’s.  This premise was made last Tuesday, at Derham, a whole week ago.”

“Why is Harding called an informer?”

“Because he belengs to an infamous cless raised up by our iniquitous kestoms administration.  These informers get no selery, bet are rewerded with a share of the spoil they bring to the depertment.  Semtimes they accuse honest men, and ectually hev been known to get them convicted falsely.  Semtimes they take bribes from the greatest scoundrels, and protect them in their villainy.  Nesh thought he hed this fellew safe by the law of fear; bet fear and envy and the dread of losing Rawdon’s bribes, combined in his treacherous heart to make a merderer of him.”

“But Nash couldn’t have written that letter last week.  He knew nothing of his sister’s whereabouts till yesterday morning.”

“Exectly; see here is the nowte, a sheet out of this very book fowlded ep.  End it says:  ’Meet me at wence, not later than noon, outside the barred chennel.  You say he followed Rawdon from the powst office; then, at sem point behind Rawdon, this Herding must hev terned ep, end, O dem the brute if he is dead! hev cheated the cleverest fellow in the service.”

“But why should he have killed him?  Why not leave that to Rawdon?”

“Rawdon’s kenning and deep.  When he knew it wes Nesh, he got a fright himself end then frightened Herding into doing it.  I’ll bet you whet you like, thet revolver found with his body is the kelibre of the bellet wound in pore Nash’s head.  I’ll look when I go ep this efternoon.  His trick was to lay it all on Herding; I shouldn’t wender if he towld thet med woman to kill him.  It’s jest like him, dem the brute!”