“You are Mr. Du Pine, I think?” said the solicitor.

“At your service, Mr. Prufrock, I think? Mr. Robinson I have met before. Won’t you sit down?”

Mr. Prufrock did not sit down, still standing, he looked slowly round the room.

“Our appointment was with Mr. Ballantine,” he said.

“Quite so,” answered Du Pine easily. “Quite so. But he is unfortunately not able to be here in person this morning, and has asked me to deal with the matter in his absence.”

Mr. Prufrock’s eyebrows went up in shocked surprise. Mr. Robinson’s, on the other hand, came down in a threatening frown. It would be difficult to say which of the two expressions Du Pine found the more unpleasant.

“Mr. Ballantine has asked you—you—to deal with this matter in his absence?” repeated the solicitor incredulously. “With the Redbury bond issue? May I remind you once more that we have a personal appointment with Mr. Ballantine?”

“Just so,” said Du Pine, beginning to show signs of nervousness. “Just so. And I can assure you, gentlemen, that Mr. Ballantine would certainly be here if—if he could.”

“What do you mean? Is he unwell?”

Du Pine indicated assent.

“That seems very strange. He seemed in perfect health yesterday. Can you tell me what form his illness takes?”

“No, I cannot.”

“Very well. Then we can assume that it is not serious. I think that the best thing would be for us to make an appointment to see him at his private house.”

Robinson here spoke for the first time.

“I rather doubt whether we should find him there, well or ill,” he observed. “If I might make the suggestion, it would be more to the purpose to enquire for him at the house of Mrs. Eales—his mistress,” he added in an aside to Prufrock, who pursed his lips and sniffed by way of reply.

“I have done so already,” Du Pine broke in. “He is not there.”

“I see.” The solicitor looked very steadily at him for a moment, to give his next question its full weight. “Mr. Du Pine, will you please answer me directly: Do you know where Mr. Ballantine is?”

Du Pine took a deep breath, like a swimmer before the plunge, and then began to speak at a great pace.

“No, I do not. And I am quite aware that in the circumstances Mr. Ballantine’s absence may seem rather—that it is a matter which calls for enquiry. But—gentlemen—before you put any construction on it—before you take any steps which—any irrevocable steps—there is one matter that—in fairness to Mr. Ballantine—in fairness to myself—it may be of importance in the future——”

“Well?”

“Mr. Ballantine had a visitor here yesterday morning, who disturbed him very much. It may in some way account for anything erratic in his behaviour——”

Prufrock turned to Robinson. His mouth was set in a hard line.