“I--I don’t know who you are to talk to me like that, sir. Your behaviour’s altogether most extraordinary. I’ll let you know that I’m not going to have you speak to me like that: I’m not going to have such language addressed to me. I came into possession of these bills in the ordinary course of business.” “How much did you pay for them?” “I paid---- Never mind what I paid for them! What’s it got to do with you?” So far he had been wearing his silk hat. Now he took it off to wipe the brim. “As I say, I’m a soft-hearted man, and if it’s not convenient to Mr. Lawrence to pay up all at once, why, I’m willing to do my best to meet his conveniences; but I--I’m not going to be talked to like that, certainly not!” “Hand them over.” “Hand what over?” “The bills.” “Against money.” “Hand over those bills.” “I haven’t got them on me; they’re in the safe at my office, under lock and key. Do you think I carry about with me documents of that value? You never know what sort of characters you may encounter.” This with a meaning glance in my direction. “Hand over those bills.” “Help! Murder! Thieves!” As he showed a disposition to make a noise, I took him by the throat. Lifting him on the big oak table, and laying him flat upon his back, I kept him quiet while I went through his pockets. As I expected, I found in the inside breast-pocket of his coat a leather case. In this were five promissory notes for £1000 each, purporting to have been drawn by Philip Lawrence, and to have been endorsed by his brother Edwin. I let him get up. “I hope I have put you to no inconvenience. Since you left the bills in your office safe, under lock and key, no doubt you will find them, still under lock and key, on your return.” “Give me back those bills!” “They will be quite safe with me.” I put them into my coat pocket. He turned to the Morleys. “I call you to witness that the man has robbed me, with violence! Mind, with violence!” Then to me: “You give me back those bills, this moment, or it will be a case of penal servitude for you; and I shouldn’t be surprised if there were the cat thrown in.” “And what will it be for you? Judges and juries are not apt to look with lenient eyes upon gentlemen who habitually traffic in forged acceptances for the purposes of levying blackmail.” “Don’t talk to me like that; I tell you that I won’t have it!” “You won’t have it!” “Upon my word, I don’t know who you are, but I believe you’re a----highwayman. Give me back those bills, or I go to the front door, and I call a constable.” “Call one--do. I will give him the bills, with an explanation of what they are, pointing out to him that you will presently have to stand your trial on a charge of conspiracy; and that, also, you are disagreeably associated with a case of murder.” “The man’s stark mad. I never heard any one talk like he does--never!” “Possibly you are not aware that Edwin Lawrence was murdered last night.” “Edwin Lawrence murdered?”