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of the menus at Simpsons or the Café
Royale. Along with thoughts of a stringent diet, I was entertaining
the distasteful idea of abandoning my
occasional billiard playing at Thurston's
when we arrived at our chambers and I learned
that my thoughts regarding frugality were not
necessary after all.
    Holmes
had dispatched a cable from Shaw alert ing
Mrs. Hudson to our time of arrival, as was his custom.
This thoughtfulness proved of value. As we alighted
from our hansom, Billy was, again, await ing
our arrival. Taking our valises, the page boy informed us that a
visitor was, even now, in our chambers.
Billy had developed an instinct for such things
and brushed off our topcoats before we ascended
the seventeen steps to our first-floor sitting room.
    It
was Claymore Frisbee who sat in the client's chair
when Billy ushered us into our chambers. The president
of Inter-Ocean Trust had had dealings with the great sleuth before
and good reason to consult with him when
troubled.
    After
cordial greetings and a minimum of small talk, Frisbee accepted my
offer of liquid refresh ment and got
to the matter at hand. "It is this
gold bullion robbery, Holmes."
    My
friend's good-natured expression was promptly
erased. Before he could comment, Fris bee
beat him to the punch, no mean feat.
    "I
know of your meeting with Chasseur, but hear me
out. You have to, you know," added the banker with
a smile.
    Curiosity
struggled with the hauteur in Holmes' manner.
"How so?"
    "Have
I not heard you say that to prejudge is the mark
of a fool?"
    Suddenly
the sleuth chortled, something he did more
often than people thought. "You have me there. Hoist on mine own
petard. Let's hear your tale."
    Holmes
stirred up the fire in the grate with the poker
and then seated himself in the cane-backed chair, his long, sensitive
fingers steepled together and his manner
that of cordial attention.
    "A
special train of the Birmingham and Northern was
routed to Great Yarmouth with a load of gold bullion to be shipped to
France," stated the banker, accepting
a glass from me. Knowing Holmes' habit
of devouring the daily journals, he added, "I'm
sure you're aware of the basic facts."
    "Let
us benefit by complete coverage," suggested Holmes,
"including your involvement."
    "I'll
get to that," replied the banker. "There was half a million
pounds on the B & N flyer and the line
took elaborate precautions, but the robbery caught
them by surprise."
    Frisbee
must have sensed a thought in Holmes' mind, for he paused in his
narration and the sleuth did fill the
void. "I can't see why. Of all the
articles of value used as a means of
exchange, gold is the most anony mous.
It lacks the serial numbers of currency and is devoid
of geographical characteristics." My eyebrows must have
elevated and the sleuth elaborated. "Gold mined in Australia or
Russia is not a smidgen different from that found in Canada, the
United States, or Africa. Nor does it matter how it is
secured. Mined gold, panned gold, hydraulic gold,
flotation gold; it is all the same. What sur prises
me is that more attempts are not made to steal
it."
    "Well,
it is a mite heavy," said Frisbee, "and not
available in large quantities outside of bank vaults."
    "It
was in this case," I said, taking my drink to the
settee.
    "An
unusual situation," conceded the banker. "The
precious metal was to be shipped to the Credit Lyonnais in France.
They have an issue of gold- bearing bonds
coming due, and ever since their unfortunate
investment in that Netherlands- Sumatra
swindle, there has been talk about their solidarity.
The financial firm anticipated a con siderable
run on the bonds at due date with demands
for payment in gold, so they strengthened their
reserves by arranging a loan from a syndicate of
our west coast banks that were well supplied. The metal was shipped
to London from the banks involved and
then placed upon the B & N special train.
The B & N now employs one Richard Ledger for
matters of this sort."
    "I
don't know his