are a long way at present from being in a position to lay hands on our
man with a reasonable hope of convicting him. There will be a great deal
of watching to do first, and a lot of delicate detective work. That is
the worst of these confounded newspapers. How that paragraph got into the
_Herald,_ I don't know, but it is going to cause Grady and myself a great
deal of trouble. To be quite candid, we did expect to find our man here,
but when he had vanished as he did, just before we arrived, I knew at
once that somebody must have been giving him information."

"Do I know the name of the man?" Venner asked.

"If you don't, I certainly can't tell you," Egan said. "One has to be
cautious, even with so discreet a gentleman as yourself."

"That's very well," Venner said. "But it so happens that I am just as
much interested in this individual as yourself. Now let me describe him.
He is short and stout, he is between fifty and sixty years of age, he has
beady black eyes, and a little hooked nose like a parrot. Also, he has an
enormous bald head, and his coloring is strongly like that of a yellow
tomato. If I am mistaken, then I have no further interest in the matter."

"Oh, you're not mistaken," Egan said. "That is our man right enough.
But tell me, sir, do you happen to know what his particular line is
just at present?"

"I have a pretty good idea," Venner said; "but I am not quite sure as
yet. I have been making a few inquiries, and they all tend to confirm my
theory, but I am afraid I cannot stay here discussing the matter any
longer, as I have an important appointment elsewhere. Do you propose to
stay at the Empire Hotel for any time?"