"I've made it payable to Mrs. Belswin," said Oates. "That's your last name, I guess?" "It has been my name ever since I left you in 'Frisco," retorted Mrs. Belswin, fiercely. "You need not insinuate that I have been leading a bad life. I've no doubt my past would bear more looking into than yours." "You've the same old style, I see," said Silas, insolently, "all gunpowder and dynamite. Well, I guess that now you've got what you came for you'll get." "As you elegantly phrase it, I'll get," rejoined the lady, letting down her veil. "But let me hear from you next week about the rest of the money, or I'll come and interview your wife." "Oh, I'll write you straight," answered Silas, with a peculiar smile, as he accompanied her to the door. "Good-bye, Mrs. Pethram--beg pardon, Mrs. Belswin." "Neither correct, sir," said his visitor, jeeringly. "My Lady Pethram." Silas closed the door after her, with a smile which faded from his face when he found himself alone. "Lady Pethram!" he echoed thoughtfully "I reckon then that Pethram got his handle. Well, now I'd better look after that murder case, and then I'll fix that she-devil right along the line." Having thus made up his mind, he sent for a file of the _Daily Telegraph_ of the previous month, and went steadily to work to read up the Thornstream case, which he had no difficulty in finding. He also discovered the address of a private inquiry office, and at once wrote a letter instructing them to send him a detective. This business being concluded, he lighted a cigar, rubbed his dry, lean hands together and chuckled. "Two can always play at a game, my lady," he muttered; "but this time I guess you'll stand out." CHAPTER XXV. SILAS PLAYS HIS LITTLE GAME. "'Tis very hard to play the game of life; For tho' you keep your eye upon the board, And move your puppets in well-thought-out ways, Just when the winning seems within your grasp, Some pawn is touched by stealthy-fingered Chance, And straight the would-be victor looses all." In his dingy office sat Mr. Dombrain before his desk, in deep thought; and judging from the frown on his coarse face, his thoughts were not of the pleasantest. He bit his hard nails, he pulled at his stubbly red moustache, drummed on the table with his large hairy hands, and in fact displayed all the symptoms of a man very much disturbed in his mind. The cause of this disturbance was Mrs. Belswin, and, seeing that he was alone, Mr. Dombrain for the moment threw off his professional suavity and cursed the lady heartily. Had she been present, she would have laughed at his outburst of wrath; but as she had just left the room, he was free to make as rude remarks as he pleased, and he certainly took full advantage of his solitude. The wrath of Mrs. Belswin and the subsequent flattening out of Mr. Dombrain arose out of the following circumstance.