“You cannot have it,” repeated Elwell sternly. “On the contrary, I will use my influence openly against you.” Peter smiled, and said softly: “See, now, how foolish some men are! Now, I have been around here to-day, and I find that you are very popular. You only need some clever fellow like me to pull the wires for you, and you can have anything you want. And all I ask in return is the business that you have to give to some one, and your assistance in procuring me the business of others. That can cost you nothing, and in return I can help you a great deal.” “I do not want your help,” replied Elwell. “And I will just help you to the extent of paying your fare out of town--provided you go at once.” And he arose from his chair, as if to leave the room. “Sit still,” said Coleman quietly. “I do not think you understand. Now, it is better that we should be friends. Not so much on my account as on yours. You can help me--true; but you can not hurt me. And if I choose I can say----” “You can say that I am a divorced man,” broke in Elwell scornfully. “And in return I can--and will--have you arrested for attempting blackmail.” “You are altogether wrong,” replied Peter coolly. “When you interrupted me I was about to tell you that I could say that you were _not_ divorced.” Elwell stared at him incredulously. Coleman continued calmly: “You can take time and investigate this, and you will see that I am right. The party whom I trusted to procure your divorce sent me a forged document. I did not find it out until after you were married,” he continued mendaciously. “So I could not tell you before. But you have never been divorced from your first wife.” Elwell poured himself out a glass of whisky, and drank it. His hand trembled as he raised the glass, and his lips were bloodless. “How do I know that you are not lying now?” he demanded huskily. “You will have a chance to investigate the matter when you wish,” replied Coleman quietly. Elwell helped himself to another glass of liquor. “You are trying to frighten me,” he cried; “but you cannot do it. Even if what you say is true, I have done no wrong, for you yourself assured me that I was legally divorced.” “I have nothing more to say about it,” answered Coleman in the same even tones. “But there is another matter I wanted to speak to you about, and then I am done.” And he took from his pocketbook the circular of the Widows’ and Orphans’ Mutual Benefit Tontine Life Insurance Company, and laid it on the table. “You were insured in this company,” he said, speaking slowly and almost maliciously, “and you allowed them to pay the amount of your insurance to your supposed widow. And by doing so you became a party to a conspiracy to defraud, and laid yourself open to serve a term in State’s prison if it is ever found out;” and he laid great stress on the last few words. “Curse you!” cried Elwell bitterly. “I should have known better than to put myself in your power!”