Had Bryce been able to see through walls or hear through windows, he would have been surprised to find that the Harker of this consultation was not the quiet, easy-going, gossipy old gentleman of Wrychester, but an eminently practical and business-like man of affairs.
"And now as regards this young fellow who's staying across there at the Peacock," he was saying in conclusion, at the very time that Bryce was leisurely munching his second mutton chop in the Peacock coffee-room, "he's after something or other--his talk about coming here to see after a practice is all lies!--and you'll keep an eye on him while he's in your neighbourhood.

Put your best plainclothes man on to him at once--he'll easily know him from the description I gave you--and let him shadow him wherever he goes.

And then let me know of his movement--he's certainly on the track of something, and what he does may be useful to me--I can link it up with my own work.

And as regards the other matter--keep me informed if you come on anything further.

Now I'll go out by your garden and down the back of the town to the station.