"Business first," he said, smiling over his shoulder. "I'll send Chettle
off--then we'll talk about ourselves."

He went away to Chettle and put the paper and the envelope in his hand.

"That's the receipt," he said. "T'other's a bit of a present for
you--naught to do with the reward--a trifle from me. Ah!--you might like
to know that I've just got engaged to be married!"

Chettle glanced round and inclined his head towards the room from which
Allerdyke had just emerged.

"What!--to the lady!" he exclaimed. "Deary me. Well," he went on,
grasping the successful suitor's hand, and giving it a warm and
sympathetic squeeze, "there's one thing I can say, Mr. Allerdyke--you'll
make an uncommon good-looking pair!"