“You can prove all this, I suppose?” remarked Spargo. “Every word—every letter! But about the Market Milcaster affair: Your father, Breton, was right in what he said about Chamberlayne having all the money that was got from the bank. He had—and he engineered that mock death and funeral so that he could disappear, and he paid us who helped him generously, as I’ve told you. The thing couldn’t have been better done. When it was done, the nephew disappeared; the doctor disappeared; Chamberlayne disappeared. I had bad luck—to tell you the truth, I was struck off the rolls for a technical offence. So I changed my name and became Mr. Myerst, and eventually what I am now. And it was not until three years ago that I found Chamberlayne. I found him in this way: After I became secretary to the Safe Deposit Company, I took chambers in the Temple, above Cardlestone’s. And I speedily found out who he was. Instead of going abroad, the old fox—though he was a comparatively young ’un, then!—had shaved off his beard, settled down in the Temple and given himself up to his two hobbies, collecting curiosities and stamps. There he’d lived quietly all these years, and nobody had ever recognized or suspected him. Indeed, I don’t see how they could; he lived such a quiet, secluded life, with his collections, his old port, and his little whims and fads. But—I knew him!” “And you doubtless profited by your recognition,” suggested Breton. “I certainly did. He was glad to pay me a nice sum every quarter to hold my tongue,” replied Myerst, “and I was glad to take it and, naturally, I gained a considerable knowledge of him. He had only one friend—Mr. Elphick, in there. Now, I’ll tell you about him.” “Only if you are going to speak respectfully of him,” said Breton sternly. “I’ve no reason to do otherwise. Elphick is the man who ought to have married your mother. When things turned out as they did, Elphick took you and brought you up as he has done, so that you should never know of your father’s disgrace. Elphick never knew until last night that Cardlestone is Chamberlayne. Even the biggest scoundrels have friends—Elphick’s very fond of Cardlestone. He——” Spargo turned sharply on Myerst. “You say Elphick didn’t know until last night!” he exclaimed. “Why, then, this running away? What were they running from?”