Again Maitland examined the rail. His experienced eye detected easily the difference in the workmanship.
“Is there anything else of yours about here?” he asked. McNish went to a pile of finished work and from it selected a small swing door beautifully panelled. Maitland's eye gleamed.
“Ah, that's better,” he said. “Yes, that's better.”
He turned to one of the workmen at the bench near by.
“What job is this, Gibbon?” he asked.
“It's the Bank job, I think,” said Gibbon.
“What? The Merchants' Bank job? Surely that can't be. That job was due two weeks ago.” Maitland turned impatiently toward an older man. “Ellis,” he said sharply, “do you know what job this is?”
Ellis came and turned over the different parts of the work.
“That's the Merchants' Bank job, sir,” he said.
“Then what is holding this up?” enquired Maitland wrathfully.