tell you where you can get one to your liking. I made the designs for
it myself five years ago for a fellow who wanted to learn how to
manufacture antiques. He's in quod now and his antiques are for sale
cheap. I helped to put him there to get him out of the way as a danger
to Society."

"What's the price?" I asked with airy detachment.

"Haven't I told you it ain't for sale. Wait till I'm dead and come and
buy it at my auction. No, you won't, though, for it's going somewhere
else."

I made no answer but continued my examination while Potts took his
seat on the prayer-stool and seemed to go off into one of his fits of
abstraction.

"Well," I said at length when decency told me that I could remain no
longer, "if you won't sell it's no use my looking. No doubt you want to
keep it for a richer man, and of course you are quite right. Will you
arrange with the carrier about sending the clock, Mr. Potts, and I will
let you have a cheque. Now I must be off, as I've ten miles to ride and
it will be dark in an hour."

"Stop where you are," said Potts in a hollow voice. "What's a ride in
the dark compared with a matter like this, even if you haven't a lamp
and get hauled before your own bench? Stop where you are, I'm listening
to something."

So I stopped and began to fill my pipe.