“Of course if you take up that attitude——!” Roger said tentatively. “Still, perhaps it’s a little early to get down to brass tacks,” he added, after a moment’s pause. “We’ll confine ourselves to the other aspect for a time, shall we? Now Stanworth, I take it, had some definite hold over you. Would you mind telling me exactly what that was?” “Is this necessary?” Jefferson demanded shortly. “My private affair, you know. Why the deuce should you want to concern yourself in it?” “Don’t talk like that, Jefferson, please. You must see what course you’ll force on me if you do.” “Damned if I do! What course?” “To put the whole thing in the hands of the police, naturally.” Jefferson started violently. “Good God, you wouldn’t do that, Sheringham!” “I don’t want to do so, of course. But you really must be frank with me. Now please tell me all about your relations with Stanworth. I may tell you, to save you trouble, that I am already in full possession of all the similar facts with regard to—well, the lady in the case.” “The devil you are!” Jefferson exclaimed in undisguised astonishment. “Oh, well, if I’ve got to tell you, I suppose I must. Though what in the name of goodness it can have to—— However!” He leaned back in his chair and began to fiddle abstractedly with the papers in front of him. “It was this way. My regiment was in India. Pal of mine and I were both in love with the same girl. No bad blood or anything like that. Good friends all the time. He got her. Wanted to get married at once, but very hard up, of course. We all were. He’d got a lot of debts, too. Damned fool went and drew a check on another man’s account. Forged it, if you like. Absurd thing to do; bound to come out. There was a hell of a row, but we managed to keep it confined to a few of us. Chap came and confessed to me; asked what on earth he’d better do. They hadn’t found out who’d done it yet, but when they did it would be all up with him. Lose the girl and everything; she was fond enough of him, but straight as a die herself. Couldn’t have stood the disgrace. Well, what could I do? Couldn’t stand by and see all this happen. Went to the colonel and told him I’d done the blessed thing. Only thing to do.” “By Jove, you sportsman!” Roger exclaimed involuntarily. “Sportsman be damned! Wouldn’t have done it for him alone. I was thinking of the girl.” “And what happened?” “Oh, it was hushed up as much as possible. I had to send in my papers, of course, but the fellow didn’t prosecute. Then that hound Stanworth got wind of the story somehow and managed to lay his hands on the check, which had never been destroyed. Perfect godsend to him, of course. Gave me choice of taking on this job with him or letting the whole thing be passed on to the police. No alternative. I had to take on the job.” “But why on earth did he want you as his secretary? That’s what I can’t understand.”