'To complete the evidence,' said Elsie, 'I have myself spent many hours almost daily with Mr. Edmund Gray during the last fortnight or so.--Is not that true, dear Master?' 'Quite true, my Scholar.' 'Brother--brother'--Sir Samuel touched his arm--'I implore you--rouse yourself. Shake off this fancy.' 'Let him alone, Sir Samuel,' said George--'let him alone. We have not done with him yet.' 'Yes,' cried Mrs. Arundel, who had now left her seat and was leaning over the table, following what was said with breathless interest--'let us finish out this comedy or tragedy--as the case may be. Let no one interrupt.' 'I have also met you, sir'--Mr. Dering addressed Checkley, who only groaned and shook. 'It was outside a tavern. You took me in and offered me a drink.' Checkley shook his head, either in sadness or in denial--but replied not, and at the thought of offering Mr. Dering a drink, everybody laughed, which was a relief. 'Dear Master,' Elsie went on in her soft voice, 'I am so glad that you remember all these things. It makes one's task so much easier. Why, your memory is as strong as ever, in spite of all your work.--Now, I am going to read the two statements you wrote down yesterday afternoon. Then you may recall anything else you might like to add. Remember, that as regards this first affair, the cheque for seven hundred and twenty pounds, my brother was charged, on suspicion only, with having forged it. Now listen.' She read the brief statement which you have already seen concerning the business of the first cheque. 'That is your history of the affair.' 'Quite so. Dering drew the cheque at my request. I cashed it. I found that I had no need of the notes, and I returned them. That is very simple.' 'It is all so simple that nobody ever guessed it before.--Now we come to the transfers made in the spring of the present year. You wrote a second statement regarding them. I will read that as well. Please listen very carefully.' She read the other statement, which you have also seen already. She read it very slowly, so that there should be no mistake possible. During the reading of these documents Sir Samuel's face expressed every possible shade of surprise. Mrs. Arundel, leaning over the table, followed every line. Hilda wept--her head gracefully inclined over her pocket-handkerchief, as if it was an urn. 'This is your account of the business?' 'Certainly. There is nothing more to be added. It is a plain statement of the facts. I do not understand how they could be in any way doubted or misrepresented.' 'Would you, Sir Samuel, like to ask Mr. Edmund Gray any question?' 'I don't understand. He says that Mr. Dering wrote a letter for him.' Elsie showed him the letter they had seen Mr. Dering write, which he was passing from one to the other. 'Where are the transfers?' Sir Samuel went on. 'He says they were placed by himself in the safe.'