erested in the contents of those despatches； is a somewhat serious thing。〃
The young man nodded。
〃Say；〃 he admitted 〃you're dead right。 The Pacific cruise； and our relations with Japan； seem to have rubbed our friends over here altogether the wrong way。 We have irritations enough already to smooth over； without anything of this sort on the carpet。〃
〃I am going to tell you now；〃 she continued； leaning a little towards him； 〃the real reason why I fetched you out of the club this afternoon and have brought you for this little expedition。 The last time I lunched with Mr。 Hamilton Fynes was just after his return from Berlin。 He intrusted me then with a very important mission。 He gave me a letter to deliver to Mr。 Blaine Harvey。〃
〃But I don't understand！〃 he protested。 〃Why should he give you the letter when he was in London himself？〃
〃I asked him that question myself； naturally；〃 she answered。 〃He told me that it was an understood thing that when he was over here on business he was not even to cross the threshold of the Embassy； or hold any direct communication with any person connected with it。 Everything had to be done through a third party； and generally in duplicate。 There was another man； for instance； who had a copy of the same letter； but I never came across him or even knew his name。〃
〃Gee whiz！〃 the young man exclaimed。 〃You're telling me things； and no mistake！ Why this fellow Fynes made a secret service messenger of you！〃
Penelope nodded。
〃It was all very simple；〃 she said。 〃The first Mrs。 Harvey； who was alive then； was my greatest friend； and I was in and out of the place all the time。 Now； perhaps； you can understand the significance of that marconigram from Hamilton Fynes asking me to lunch with him at the Carlton today。〃
Mr。 Richard Vanderpole was sitting bolt upright； gazing steadily ahead。
〃I wonder；〃 he said slowly； 〃what has become of the letter which he was going to give you！〃
〃One thing is certain；〃 she declared。 〃It is in the hands of those whose interests would have been affected by its delivery。〃
〃How much of this am I to tell the chief？〃 the young man asked。
〃Every word；〃 Penelope answered。 〃You see； I am trying to give you a start in your career。 What bothers me is an entirely different question。〃
〃What is it？〃 he asked。
She laid her hand upon his arm。
〃How much of it I shall tell to a certain gentleman who calls himself Inspector Jacks！〃
CHAPTER VI。 MR。 COULSON INTERVIEWED
The Lusitania boat specials ran into Euston Station soon after three o'clock in the afternoon。 A small company of reporters； and several other men whose profession was not disclosed from their appearance； were on the spot to interview certain of the passengers。 A young fellow from the office of the Evening Comet was； perhaps； the most successful； as； from the lengthy description which had been telegraphed to him from Liverpool； he was fortunate enough to accost the only person who had been seen speaking to the murdered man upon the voyage。
〃This is Mr。 Coulson； I believe？〃 the young man said with conviction； addressing a somewhat stout； gray…headed American； with white moustache； a Homburg hat； and clothes of distinctly transatlantic cut。
That gentlemen regarded his interlocutor with some surprise but without unfriendliness。
〃That happens to be my name； sir；〃 he replied。 〃You have the advantage of me； though。 You are not from my old friends Spencer & Miles； are you？〃
〃Spencer & Miles；〃 the young man repeated thoughtfully。
〃Woollen firm in London Wall；〃 Mr。 Coulson added。 〃I know they wanted to see me directly I arrived； and they did say something about sending to the station。〃
The young man shook his head； and assumed at the same time his most engaging manner。
〃Why； no； sir！〃 he admitted。 〃I have no connection with that firm at all。 The fact is I am on the staff of an evening paper。 A friend of mine in Liverpoola mutual friend； I believe I may say；〃 he explained〃wired me your description。 I understand that you were acquainted with Mr。 Hamilton Fynes？〃
Mr。 Coulson set down his suitcase for a moment； to light a cigar。
〃Well； if I did know the poor fellow just to nod to；〃 he said； 〃I don't see that's any reason why I should talk about him to you newspaper fellows。 You'd better get hold of his relations； if you can find them。〃
〃But； my dear Mr。 Coulson；〃 the young man said； 〃we haven't any idea where they are to be found； and in the meantime you can't imagine what reports are in circulation。〃
〃Guess I can figure them out pretty well；〃 Mr。 Coulson remarked with a smile。 〃We've got an evening press of our own in New York。〃
The reporter nodded。
〃Well；〃 he said； 〃They'd be able to stretch themselves out a bit on a case like this。 You see；〃 he continued confidentially； 〃we are up against something almost unique。 Here is an astounding and absolutely inexplicable murder； committed in a most dastardly fashion by a person who appears to have vanished from the face of the earth。 Not a single thing is known about the victim except his name。 We do not know whether he came to England on business or pleasure。 He may； in short； have been any one from a millionaire to a newspaper man。 Judging from his special train；〃 the reporter concluded with a smile； 〃and the money which was found upon him； I imagine that he was certainly not the latter。〃
Mr。 Coulson went on his way toward the exit from the station； puffing contentedly at his big cigar。
〃Well；〃 he said to his companion； who showed not the slightest disposition to leave his side； 〃it don't seem to me that there's much worth repeating about poor Fynes；much that I knew； at any rate。 Still； if you like to get in a cab with me and ride as far as the Savoy； I'll tell you what I can。〃
〃You are a brick； sir；〃 the young man declared。 〃Haven't you any luggage； though？〃
〃I checked what I had through from Liverpool to the hotel；〃 Mr。 Coulson answered。 〃I can't stand being fussed around by all these porters； and having to go and take pot luck amongst a pile of other people's baggage。 We'll just take one of these two…wheeled sardine tins that you people call hansoms； and get round to the hotel as quick as we can。 There are a few pals of mine generally lunch in the cafe there； and they mayn't all have cleared out if we look alive。〃
They started a moment or two later。 Mr。 Coulson leaned forward and； folding his arms upon the apron of the cab； looked about him with interest。
〃Say；〃 he remarked； removing his cigar to the corner of his mouth in order to facilitate conversation； 〃this old city of yours don't change any。〃
〃Not up in this part； perhaps；〃 the reporter agreed。 〃We've some fine new buildings down toward the Strand。〃
Mr。 Coulson nodded。
〃Well；〃 he said； 〃I guess you don't want to be making conversation。 You want to know about Hamilton Fynes。 I was just acquainted with him； and that's a fact； but I reckon you'll have to find some one who knows a good deal more than I do before you'll get the stuff you want for your paper。〃
〃The slightest particulars are of interest to us just now；〃 the reporter reminded him。
Mr。 Coulson nodded。
〃Hamilton Fynes；〃 he said； 〃so far as I knew him； was a quiet； inoffensive sort of creature； who has been drawing a regular salary from the State for the last fifteen years and saving half of it。 He has been coming over to Europe now and then； and though he was a good； steady chap enough； he liked his fling when he was over here； and between you and me； he was the greatest crank I ever struck。 I met him in London a matter of three years ago； and he wanted to go to Paris。 There were two cars running at the regular time； meeting the boat at Dover。 Do you think he would have anything to do with them？ Not he！ He hired a special train and went down like a prince。〃
〃What did he do that for？〃 the reporter asked。
〃Why； because he was a crank； sir；〃 Mr。 Coulson answered confidentially。 〃There was no other reason at all。 Take this last voyage on the Lusitania； now。 He spoke to me the first day out because he couldn't help it； but for pretty well the rest of the journey he either kept down in his stateroom or； when he came up on deck； he avoided me and everybody else。 When he did talk； his talk was foolish。 He was a good chap at his work； I believe； but he was a crank。 Seemed to me sometimes as though that humdrum life of his had about turned his brain。 The last day out he was fidgeting all the time； kept looking at his watch； studying the chart； and asking the sailors questions。 Said he wanted to get up in time to take a girl to lunch on Thursday。 It was just for that reason that he scuttled off the boat without a word to any of us； and rushed up to London。〃
〃But he had letters； Mr。 Coulson；〃 the reporter reminded him； 〃from some one in Washington； to the captain of the steamer and to the station…master of the London and North Western Railway。 It seems rather odd that he should have provided himself with these； doesn't it？〃
〃They were easy enough to get；〃 Mr。 Coulson answered。 〃He wasn't a worrying sort of chap； Fynes wasn't。 He did his work； year in and year out； and asked no favors。 The consequence was that when he asked a queer one he got it all right。 It's easier to get a pull over there than it is here； you know。〃
〃This is all very interesting；〃 the reporter said； 〃and I am sure I'm very much obliged to you； Mr。 Coulson。 Now can you tell me of anything in the man's life or way of living likely to provoke enmity on the part of any one？ This murder was such a cold…blooded affair。〃
〃There I'm stuck；〃 Mr。 Coulson admitted。 〃There's only one thing I can tell you； and that is that I believe he had a lot more money on him than the amount mentioned in your newspapers this morning。 My own opinion is that he was murdered for what he'd got。 A smart thief would say that a fellow who takes a special tug off the steamer and a special train to town was a man worth robbing。 How the thing was done I don't knowthat's for your police to find outbut I reckon that whoever killed him did it for his cash。〃
The reporter sighed。 He was； after all； a little disappointed。 Mr。 Coulson was obviously a man of common sense。 His words were clearly pronounced； and his reasoning sound。 They