“Have you any idea why Captain Bradshaw was more irritable than usual about that time?” Again the man was silent. “Come, James, it is a matter of importance to your master—I may say of great importance. I am not asking these questions for amusement.” “Well, sir,” the man said, “I believe master was bothered by letters from a man who was threatening him.” Captain Bradshaw and Alice Heathcote uttered simultaneous ejaculations of surprise. But Prescott made a sign to them to be quiet, and proceeded with his cross-examination. “Quite so, James; your master was troubled by a letter-writer, who threatened him. Well, James, Mr. Bingham, when he told you that, told you that it was important, for your master’s sake, that he should not receive these threatening letters.” The man turned very pale. “Come, James, you acted for the best, I have no doubt; you meant to do your master a service, and Captain Bradshaw will not be angry with you, if you do but speak the truth. You see we have all the particulars, we only wish to receive the corroboration from your own lips. Mr. Bingham told you that, for your master’s sake, it was important he should not receive these threatening letters, and he asked you to show all that came by post before giving them to your master?” “Yes, sir, that was just it; he said he had found out the man who was sending the letters, and that he would be able in a few days to put a stop to it, and save master from being bothered. The day the letter did come, he told me I need not trouble any more, for that he was to see the man that night, and that master would not be annoyed in future.” “The infernal scoundrel!” Captain Bradshaw broke out; “the infernal scoundrel!” “One more question, and I have done, James,” Prescott said. “Did you see what Mr. Bingham did with the letter?” “No, sir; he said he wanted to write a letter, and he went into the dining-room and stayed there a few minutes. He did write, I remember; at least the inkstand was on the table, and the taper had been alight; I remember, because there was a blot of sealing-wax upon the cloth, and I had a deal of trouble in getting it out.” “That is all, James; Captain Bradshaw will quite believe that you did it for the best, and acted under Mr. Bingham’s instructions in the matter. But let it be a lesson to you never again to tamper with letters, when I tell you that Captain Bradshaw’s annoyance was caused entirely because that letter had not arrived as he expected it; that it was entirely because he did not receive it that he went on to the Continent, and that the very greatest unhappiness has been caused in his mind, and in that of other people, by his not getting it. That will do, James.”