Mr Farquhar was discreet enough to hold his tongue.
"Mr Watson," said Mr Bradshaw, as the old clerk made his appearance, "here is some mistake about those Insurance shares we purchased for Benson ten or a dozen years ago. He spoke to Mr Farquhar about some bonus they are paying to the shareholders, it seems; and, in reply to Mr Farquhar's letter, the Insurance Company say the shares were sold twelve months since. Have you any knowledge of the transaction? Has the transfer passed through your hands? By the way" (turning to Mr Farquhar), "who kept the certificates? Did Benson or we?"
"I really don't know," said Mr Farquhar. "Perhaps Mr Watson can tell us."
Mr Watson meanwhile was studying the letter. When he had ended it, he took off his spectacles, wiped them, and replacing them, he read it again.
"It seems very strange, sir," he said at length, with his trembling, aged voice, "for I paid Mr Benson the account of the dividends myself last June, and got a receipt in form, and that is since the date of the alleged transfer."
"Pretty nearly twelve months after it took place," said Mr Farquhar.
"How did you receive the dividends? An order on the Bank, along with old Mrs Cranmer's?" asked Mr Bradshaw, sharply.
"I don't know how they came. Mr Richard gave me the money, and desired me to get the receipt."
"It's unlucky Richard is from home," said Mr Bradshaw. "He could have cleared up this mystery for us."
Mr Farquhar was silent.