I may be wrong, but I felt hopeful of success as soon as you entered the house; and I believe that, if the wretch who robbed us is to be found, you are the man to discover him." I accepted this gratifying compliment in the spirit in which it was offered, firmly believing that I shall be found, sooner or later, to have thoroughly deserved it.
Let me now return to business--that is to say, to my peep-hole and my pipe-hole.
I have enjoyed some hours of calm observation of Mr.Jay.Though rarely at home, as I understand from Mrs.Yatman, on ordinary occasions, he has been indoors the whole of this day.

That is suspicious, to begin with.
I have to report, further, that he rose at a late hour this morning (always a bad sign in a young man), and that he lost a great deal of time, after he was up, in yawning and complaining to himself of headache.

Like other debauched characters, he ate little or nothing for breakfast.

His next proceeding was to smoke a pipe--a dirty clay pipe, which a gentleman would have been ashamed to put between his lips.

When he had done smoking he took out pen, ink and paper, and sat down to write with a groan--whether of remorse for having taken the bank-notes, or of disgust at the task before him, I am unable to say.