Chapter IV

_The Editor to Aubrey Aston._
_July 31st._

DEAR MR. ASTON,--Herewith proof of _The Case of Mr. Everett._ I trust you will be able to let us have some more West Coast tales while you are out. Stories with the true African ring about them, from such a practised pen as your own, are hard to come by. Our "critic" passed _Mr. Everett_ with honours. You will no doubt see yourself by now how comparatively bald and unconvincing _Red Shadows_ is, when set against a tale "hot from the oven."

Yours very truly,
J. W. I.

P.S.--Our West African expert asks me to thank you for information on several points on which he had been hazy. It is news to him that the Mendes have an Arabic strain in their blood; he had believed them to be pure Zishtis. He had also been in the dark as to the origin of the "leopard" murders.