“In a sense he was forced to; he had to explain your sudden arrival at Effington. Well, to continue, you had fallen upon bad times. You went to see your old friend, and no doubt represented to him that it would be highly inconvenient for him in his present position if you made certain disclosures about his past. Not being a fool, he saw that.” Mr. Newcombe listened to this reconstruction of what had taken place between himself and the owner of Effington Hall without interruption. Not wishing his countenance to betray him, he kept his gaze steadily averted. Grewgus looked round the ill-furnished room in a disparaging fashion. “He recognized the fact that he could not allow you to talk, and he agreed to make you some sort of allowance. Judging by the condition of this apartment, not a very handsome one.” The Colonial indulged in a derisive grunt at this allusion to his surroundings, but he did not break his obstinate silence. “Small as that allowance is, he begrudges it. Or perhaps it is not the money he minds so much; what weighs upon his mind is that you are a standing menace to his safety, the fear that one day, when you’ve had a drop or two too much, you’ll blurt out the very thing he wants to hide. He feels he’ll have no real security till you are safely out of the way. Hence that apparently hospitable action the other day.” Grewgus had the satisfaction of seeing a vindictive scowl steal over the man’s face at this reference. He hoped to appeal not only to the Colonial’s cupidity but in an equal degree to his thirst for revenge. “If you ask me, I don’t think your position is a very safe one, my friend. From what I do know of Stormont, I have reason to believe him to be possessed of diabolical cunning, and unscrupulous to a degree. If he has made up his mind to get you out of the way, it is long odds that, in the end, he will accomplish his designs, either on his own initiative or with the help of his numerous friends.” And then Mr. Newcombe spoke: “He’s a cunning devil enough, you’re right about that. Well, mister private inquiry agent, let’s come to the point. What is it you want to propose to me? You’ve been a long time leading up to it. Let’s have it without any more beating about the bush.” “If you’ll tell me the secret of Stormont’s past which he is paying you some paltry pittance to hush up, I’ll pay you down in hard cash the sum of five hundred pounds.” “And supposing you got that information--mind you, I haven’t said that I can give it you--what use are you going to make of it?” Grewgus was a bit puzzled what to answer to this plain and very natural question. Would Lydon take any steps against Stormont if he found himself in a position to do so? The young man had carefully kept Gloria’s name out of the matter, but the shrewd detective had originally guessed there was a woman in the case. Newcombe’s statement that Lydon was engaged to Stormont’s niece confirmed that suspicion absolutely.