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Laverick, notwithstanding that the hour was beco late, found an outfitter's shop in the Strand still open, and made such purchases as he could on Morrison's behalf Then, with the bag ready packed, he returned to his roo the last three hours It was nearly nine o'clock when he stepped out of the lift and opened the door of his s froe his clothes mechanically, and he had nearly finished when the telephone bell upon his table rang

"Who's that?" he asked, taking up the receiver

"Hall-porter, sir," was the answer "Person here wishes to see you particularly"

"A person!" Laverick repeated "Man or woman?"

"Man, sir

"Better send hi lot, sir," the porter explained "I told hiht you'd see hiet rid of the fellow if he's cadging"

He went back to his roo his tie His own affairs had sunk a little into the background lately, but the announceht the his iron nerves, his fingers shook as he drew on his dinner-jacket and walked out to the passageway to answer the bell which rang a few seconds later A man stood outside, dressed in shabby black clothes, whose face soh he could not, for the moment, place it

"Do you want to see me?" Laverick asked

"If you please, Mr Laverick," the man replied, "if you could spare me just a moment"

"You had better co the door and preceding the way into the sitting-roo about the appearance of this visitor--nor anything official

"I have taken the liberty of co, sir," the man announced, "to ask you if you can tell me where I can find Mr Arthur Morrison"

Laverick's face showed no sign of his relief What he felt he succeeded in keeping to himself

"You mean Morrison--my partner, I suppose?" he answered

"If you please, sir," the man admitted "I wanted a word or tith him most particular I found out his address from the caretaker of your office, but he don't seeht, and they know nothing about him there"

"Your face seems familiar to me," Laverick remarked "Where do you come from?"

The man hesitated

"I am the waiter, sir, at the 'Black Post,'--little bar and restaurant, you know," he added, "just behind your offices, sir, at the end of Crooked Friars' Alley You've been in once or twice, Mr Laverick, I think Mr Morrison's a regular custos"