"I had sold some acres of land to a contractor, who had paid a heavy price for them," said Silwood, now speaking with the indifference of a man who is telling a story that has no longer any interest for him; "but I had to be content with getting half the price in cash and half in the form of a bill. The total amount was thirty thousand pounds, the bill was for fifteen thousand, and when we heard from Thornton it still had some time to run. I did not discount the bill, but put it in a chamber in that large japanned box you may remember seeing in my room." "The secret chamber!" exclaimed Gilbert. "You know of it?" "Did you not go one night to New Square not long ago, and open it?" "Yes; you know that! I went to get the bill--it was due next day." "I see. Well, you left the secret chamber open, and that showed us you were not dead, and put us on your track." Silwood's eyes flickered. "The spring would not work," he said. "It had baffled me very nearly once or twice before, but that time it baffled me altogether. So! so! I understand now why you came to St. Paul--it was the secret chamber which gave me away, which has brought me here." "Yes; I went to Italy," said Gilbert, "and Ucelli confessed the conspiracy you and he had entered into. He it was who told me that you and James Russell were one. James Russell was tracked to Liverpool, then to New York, and then to St. Paul." "What a pity I did not leave that bill alone!" said Silwood, quite calmly. "But I could not think of leaving fifteen thousand pounds behind me. That," he added, "you will find with the rest." "Did you cash the bill?" "Certainly, as James Russell, to whom it was payable." "How in the world," interjected Gilbert, "shall we be able to put all these matters right?" "There will be plenty of money," said Silwood, "for everybody. But let me get on with my story while I am able. I told you I put the bill for the fifteen thousand into the secret chamber. Of course I hoped Thornton would not come before it matured, or, if he did, that your father would find means to delay the investigation of his account. But your father on this point was firm; he said he would not deceive Thornton, though I pressed him more than once. When I saw I could not move him, I prepared to act alone. I gave out I was about to take a holiday--it was a holiday from which I had no intention to return--at least, not as Cooper Silwood. I meant to leave on a Saturday evening--I actually went on the Saturday morning ... and it was because of Thornton." "Of Morris Thornton?" "It was past midnight," said Silwood, "and I was getting ready to go to Stepney, when I heard steps coming up the stairs towards my rooms in Stone Buildings; the steps stopped at my door; some one knocked. I had no wish to open the door, for I was in my disguise, so I paid no attention to the sound.