he back of it-a little, dirty hole of a place, in which there was a ramshackle table, a chair or two, a stand-up desk, a cupboard, and a var

this challenge out on me so sharply, catching me unawares that I was alone with him, and, as it were, at his mercy, before I could pull my wits together. Everything in me was confused. I was thinking several things all at a time. How did he co

small things, and he caught a sight of my face when there was more light, and as he shut the door on us he laughed-laughed as

, leering at me. "A wee dr

" sa

-tumblerful of whisky, to which he added precious little water. "Here's

g so villainous in the look of him that it did me good in the way of steeling my nerves again. Fo

straight at him, "what's t

little table. "Pull that out and sit you down. What we shall have to say to each othe

arp eyes and questioning lips were closer to mine than I cared for. And while he leaned forward in his chair I sat back in mine, keeping as far from him as I could, and just stari

ll overhear us in this place, it's safe! I say once more, what for did you not tell in your evidence

y busines

ur business. But if by that you mean that it's yours alone, an

nd then I put the question directly to him that I had been wanting

you know?

that-sneerin

How did I know? Because when you saw Sir Gilbert I wasn't fiv

there?" I

. "And if you want to know what I was doing there, I'll tell you. I was doi

n, Mr. Crone," I said. "Why

ask me that. But I wasn't call

e come forward

choose," h

ff his drink and helped himself, just as generously, to more. And, a

some importance to

for a man's safety-to be as near as what he was to a p

near enough, any

," he flung back at me. "We don

Crone," I said boldly. "The

hen all's said and done, and there might be reasons that you and me knows nothing about. Let me ask

sharp, and his manner was so insistent, that I

eplied. "

e. So-you and me are the

?" I

r a moment or two sat silent, tapping his

e found that much out for myself! For what purpose? Is there money at the back of it-property-something of that sort, dependent on this Gilverthwaite unearthing some facts or other out of those old books? And then comes another man, a stranger, that's as mysterious in his movements as Gilverthwaite was, and he's to meet

low you at t

itle and his house and the estate, he'd never set foot in the place, never been near the place, this thirty year? Man! his own father, old Sir Al

imed, much surprised at his words. "I did

more than lads, and out they cleared, going their own ways. And news of Michael's death, and the proofs of it, came home not so long before old Sir Alec died, and as Michael had never married, of course the younger brother

rone," I answered. "It comes t

You cannot tell. But you and me knows he was near the place-coming from its direction-

oing to do abou

ore he replied, and when he spoke it wa

u might call considerable quantity, but his wife he brought with him is a woman of vast wealth, they tell me. I

f?" I asked. "You k

here'll be more coming out. Keep your counsel a bit. And when the moment comes, and i

interview was over, and I was that glad to get aw