“No, of course, it’s not all. You just wait a minute, young man. Don’t be impatient.” Sir John glared for a few seconds at his visitor and, then continued: “I may say that Woodman already owed me a considerable sum, in connection with a business transaction. So I thought it wise to make a few inquiries about him in the city, and I may tell you, young man, that the fellow’s bankrupt—positively bankrupt—a shilling in the pound affair or something like it. Speculation, of course. He can’t hold out for more than a few days. There are men on the Stock Exchange who know that for a fact.” “So that Woodman would be very likely to take some desperate step in order to retrieve his fortunes?” “Such as coming to me and trying to raise money under false pretences. The man’s a damned scoundrel,” said Sir John. “Surely murder is worse than raising money on false pretences, Sir John.” “Oh, is it, young man? Of course, you know all about it. I only know that the fellow ought to be locked up. That’s enough for me. I might have lent him the money as a friend.” “But surely, Sir John, when you found out all this about him, you wouldn’t have considered lending him the money.” “Of course, I did not consider it. Not for a moment, I never meant to lend him another penny. I wrote that letter of mine simply to put Sir Vernon on his guard. I would have gone to the police; but, as I told you, I saw no reason why I should get myself mixed up in the affair. But it would have outraged my legal sense if that man had got Sir Vernon’s money by means of some jiggery pokery with that other old scoundrel, Walter Brooklyn. So I wrote to Sir Vernon. You see my position?” “If that is your position, I don’t quite see why you are telling me all this now.” “I am telling you, young man, because I had no suspicion that he had committed murder as well. If that is the case, a man of that sort is too dangerous to be left loose. He might be murdering me next, or Sir Vernon. But now you are going to tell me all about your case against him.” Ellery saw that it was best to tell the whole story, and he did tell most of it. Sir John listened, only interrupting every now and then with a pertinent question. At the end, his only comment was,— “H’m, not so bad for amateurs. And now, my fine young man, what are you going to do next? If I’m to be the family lawyer, that is a point which concerns me. Is it to be a first-class family scandal, eh?” “Really, we have been so busy trying to discover the truth, that I don’t think we have ever considered what to do afterwards.” “Humph, but you will have to consider it now. Do you think Sir Vernon is anxious to have another scandal in the family? If you do, I don’t.” “I suppose the murderer will have to be brought to justice.” “You do, do you? And doubtless you look forward to appearing in court and showing how clever you have been.”