"It would be a coincidence, would it?" said the colonel, nodding his huge head. "Perhaps it is a coincidence that my clerk, Hanson, has disappeared and has been seen in the company of your friend, eh? It is a coincidence that King is working on the Spillsbury case--the one case that Solly knows nothing about--eh?" She faced him, puzzled and apprehensive. "Where does all this lead?" she asked. "It leads to trouble for Solly, that's all," said the colonel. "He's trying to put me away and put his business associates away, and he has got to go through the mill unless----" "Unless what?" she asked. "Pinto's a merciful man, I'm a merciful man. We don't want to make trouble with former business associates, but trouble there is going to be, believe me." "What kind of trouble?" asked the girl. "If you mean that your so-called business association with my father will cease, I shall be happier. My father can earn his living and I have my stage work." "You have your stage work," the colonel did not smile but his tone betrayed his amusement, "and your father can earn his living, eh? He can earn his living in Portland Gaol," he said, raising his voice. "For the matter of that, so can you, colonel." The colonel turned his head slowly and surveyed the spare figure in the doorway. "Oh, you heard me, did you, Solly," he said not unpleasantly. "I heard you," said Solomon White, his lean face a shade whiter than the girl had ever seen it and his breathing was a little laboured. "If you are thinking of gaoling me," said White, "why, I think we shall make up a pretty jolly party." "Meaning me?" said the colonel, raising his eyebrows. "You amongst others. Pinto Silva, 'Swell' Crewe and Selby, to name a few." Colonel Boundary permitted himself to chuckle. "On what charge?" he asked, "tell me that, Solly? The cleverest men in Scotland Yard have been laying for me for years and they haven't got away with it. Maybe they have your assistance and that dog Hanson----" "That's a lie," interrupted White, "so far as I am concerned--I know nothing about Hanson." "Hanson," said the colonel slowly, "is a thief. He bolted with £300 of mine, as I've reported to the police." "I see," said White with a little smile of contempt, "got your charge in first, eh, colonel--discredit the witness. And what have you framed for me?" "Nothing," said the colonel, "except this. I've just had from the bank a cheque for £4,000 drawn in your favour on our joint account and purporting to be signed by Silva and myself." "As it happens," said White, "it was signed by you fellows in my presence." The colonel shook his head. "Obdurate to the last, brazening it out to the end--why not make a frank confession to an old business associate, Solly? I came here to see you about that cheque." "That's the game, is it?" said White. "You are going to charge me with forgery, and suppose I spill it?"