"Did you confine your advertisements to any particular newspaper? This is the first I have heard of the occurrence."
"When it was proved that the body had really been carried off, a communication was at once sent to the chief, who decided on secrecy. Like you, he thought it was a question of money, and daily expected that the thieves would open up a correspondence with the family. But nothing of the kind has taken place. When two months had passed without any sign, we tried the advertisements, but nothing has come of them."
"In what hole-and-corner papers did you insert the advertisements?"
He handed me a slip on which was printed the following:—
"Craigmillar.—On the night of the 15th November last something valuable disappeared near this place, and the family are prepared to pay a large reward for its return, or for a correct intimation where it can be found.—Information, which will be treated as strictly confidential, to be sent to R. B. Johnson, Esq., solicitor, Craigmillar."
"Did you ever try naming a sum of money?"
"Yes, first £1,000, and then £5,000."
"Would the family go higher than that?"
"I am sure they would. What can the thieves mean?"