my hands. Now, you are my manager, and if it seem to me conducive
to your interests (you being absent) that, in addition to my
present character, I should be a 'cast' for that of spy or amateur
detective, I see no good reason why I should refuse it. So far,
however, all my Fouché-like devices have resulted in nothing. The
Captain's comings and goings--in fact, all his movements--are of a
commonplace and uninteresting kind. But I have this advantage, that
the character I have undertaken enables me to assume, with Cleon's
consent, certain privileges such as under other circumstances would
never have been granted me. Further, should I succeed in
discovering anything of importance, it by no means follows that I
should consider myself bound to reveal the same to Cleon. It might
be greatly more to my interest to retain any such facts for my own
use. Meanwhile, I wait and watch.

"Thus you will perceive, my dear dad, that an element of
interest--a dramatic element--is being slowly evolved out of the
commonplace duties of my position. This nucleus of interest may
grow and develop into something startling; or it may die slowly out
and expire for lack of material to feed itself upon. In any case,
dear dad, you may expect a frequent feuilleton from

"Your affectionate Son,
"J.M. (otherwise JAMES JASMIN).

"P.S.--I should not like to be a real flunkey all my life. Such a
position is not without its advantages to a man of a lazy turn, but
it is terribly soul-subduing. Not a sign yet of the G.H.D."

"There is nothing much in all this to tell her ladyship," said Mr.