〃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　had　reached　the　courtyard　of　the　hotel　now；　and　the　reporter　began　to　express　his　gratitude。
  〃My　first　drink　on　English　soil；〃　Mr。　Coulson　said；　as　he　handed　his　suitcase　to　the　hall…porter；　〃is　always〃
  〃It's　on　me；〃　the　young　man　declared　quickly。　〃I　owe　you　a　good　deal　more　than　drinks；　Mr。　Coulson。〃
  〃Well；　come　along；　anyway；〃　the　latter　remarked。　〃I　guess　my　room　is　all　right；　porter？〃turning　to　the　man　who　stood　by　his　side；　bag　in　hand。　〃I　am　Mr。　James　B。　Coulson　of　New　York；　and　I　wrote　on　ahead。　I'll　come　round　to　the　office　and　register　presently。〃
  They　made　their　way　to　the　American　bar。　The　newspaper　man　and　his　new　friend　drank　together　and；　skillfully　prompted　by　the　former；　the　conversation　drifted　back　to　the　subject　of　Hamilton　Fynes。　There　was　nothing　else　to　be　learned；　however；　in　the　way　of　facts。　Mr。　Coulson　admitted　that　he　had　been　a　little　nettled　by　his　friend's　odd　manner　during　the　voyage；　and　the　strange　way　he　had　of　keeping　to　himself。
  〃But；　after　all；〃　he　wound　up；　〃Fynes　was　a　crank；　when　all's　said　and　done。　We　are　all　cranks；　more　or　less；all　got　our　weak　spot；　I　mean。　It　was　secretiveness　with　our　unfortunate　friend。　He　liked　to　play　at　being　a　big　personage　in　a　mysterious　sort　of　way；　and　the　poor　chap's　paid　for　it；〃　he　added　with　a　sigh。
  The　reporter　left　his　new…made　friend　a　short　time　afterwards；　and　took　a　hansom　to　his　office。　His　newspaper　at　once　issued　a　special　edition；　giving　an　interview　between　their　representative　and　Mr。　James　B。　Coulson；　a　personal　friend　of　the　murdered　man。　It　was；　after　all；　something　of　a　scoop；　for　not　one　of　the　other　passengers　had　been　found　who　was　in　a　position　to　say　anything　at　all　about　him。　The　immediate　effect　of　the　interview；　however；　was　to　procure　for　Mr。　Coulson　a　somewhat　bewildering　succession　of　callers。　The　first　to　arrive　was　a　gentleman　who　introduced　himself　as　Mr。　Jacks；　and　whose　card；　sent　back　at　first；　was　retendered　in　a　sealed　envelope　with　Scotland　Yard　scrawled　a