"At last we became so friendly that I went to visit him at his lodging in the Chepe, and there it was that I first saw him working on these forgeries. Night after night I found him bending over them, working like one possessed. He said that he was making copies for a man in high estate; but one night he chanced to leave a sheet uncovered at the bottom, and there I read ’Charles R.’ ’Ah! "high estate" indeed’, thought I, but of course said nothing. Well, to make few words of it, another night I chanced to catch him locking up his precious papers in this very box. This time methought he had an evil, hunted look upon his ugly face, but, though I had my doubts, I did not see my way to question him; and as my business took me home upon the morrow, I bade Elijah Annabat farewell. Now, as I said, I had been surpassing fool enough to trust him with some money, on which he did profess he could obtain great usury within a month. Well, I had been home at least two months, and yet had had no tidings of the matter, so I wrote to him. Another month passed, but no answer came. I wrote again; but still there was no answer. Then, while I was yet turning over in my mind what course to take, the Black Box tale leapt over England, and with it flashed into my memory what I had seen in London. ’Ah! I will pay a visit to Elijah Annabat,’ said I: and forthwith posted up to town. "By rare good chance I found him in, and, what was still more to my liking, there was he seated at a table with the Black Box in his hands. As I came suddenly upon him he turned a savage glance towards me; then, having quickly hid the box beneath some papers, he rose, and, holding out his hand, grinned like a cat and said: "’Well met, good Master Fane!’ "’Well met, indeed, good Master Annabat!’ quoth I, remaining stiff and frowning by the door. ’Where is my money?’ "His face changed instantly, as though a mask had fallen from it; and for a time he stood there stroking his bristly chin and shooting glances at me from beneath his heavy eyebrows. "’Hum!’ he said at last. ’Your money, eh, friend? Ah, to be sure, your money. Yes, of course. Well, friend, I fear ’tis like the sheep of which we read in Holy Scripture--lost!’" "On hearing this, I paused a moment: then suddenly a wild idea seized me. ’That being so,’ I said, ’I will have your Black Box in exchange for it.’ "Never have I seen a man so struck as he was by those words. His face went white, then red; and then, without a moment’s warning, he sprang on me like a tiger.