Gaffney accepted the commission with alacrity; his brother, he said, was just then out of a job, having lost a clerkship through the sudden bankruptcy of his employers; such a bit of business as that which Mr.Appleyard had entrusted to him was so much meat and drink to one of his tastes--in more ways than one.
"It's the sort of thing he likes, sir," remarked Gaffney, confidentially.
"He's always been a great hand at reading these detective tales, and to set him to watch anybody is like offering chickens to a nigger--he fair revels in it!" "Well, there's plenty for him to revel in," observed Allerdyke grimly.
Plenty! he said to himself with a cynical laugh when Gaffney had left him--aye, plenty, and to spare.

He spent the whole of that evening alone, turning every detail over in his own mind; he was still thinking, and speculating, and putting two and two together when he went to bed at eleven o'clock.

And just as he was about to switch off his light a waiter knocked on his door.
"Gentleman downstairs, sir, very anxious to see you at once," he said, when Allerdyke opened it.

"His card, sir." Allerdyke gave one glance at the card--a plain bit of pasteboard on which one word had been hastily pencilled-- CHETTLE..