The White Room by Fergus Hume

Mr. Jasher was a man who in his time had played many parts on the stage of the world. He loved money, and the ease and comfort which a judicious expenditure of money would procure. But he was not sufficiently successful in making an income. Several ventures had turned out badly before he opened his private inquiry-office, and hitherto that had not seemed likely to be a triumph. The work was hard and the pay not very good, and for some months Mr. Jasher had been contemplating the wisdom of giving up the business and starting as a theatrical manager. He was fond of the stage, and in the United States he had produced several dramas at a dead loss. But the English people being less clever than the Yankees, Jasher thought he would again venture on a theatrical agency.

It was about this time that Professor Bocaros called to see him. A chance of making a great deal of money out of the simple scholar presented itself to Jasher, and he took up the matter himself. It was so difficult that the detective -- for so he was in fact -- did not think it wise to trust the elucidation of the mystery to meaner hands. He resolved to attend to it personally, and charge accordingly. The discovery that the money had passed to Calvert was not pleasing to Jasher, as he had now to deal with a man more shrewd and less inclined to pay largely. However, supported by Bocaros, Jasher called at the Bloomsbury lodgings of the actor, and ended, as has been seen, in getting the business of hunting down the assassin of Flora Brand. It was not an easy mystery to unravel.