Bennet stood over him and shook him violently. "You did know," he shouted. "You knew all the while that my flats had been sold. Do you know what you are? You are a thief and a swindler--that's what you are!" "Harry," pleaded Eversleigh, feebly. "Don't call me 'Harry,'" replied Bennet. "You have lied to me and stolen from me. I must think," he wound up, as he released his hold of the other and walked up and down the floor. Meanwhile Eversleigh's sobs subsided, and he ventured to look at Bennet. Bennet noticed the glance at once. "I believe," said he, "if I did what I ought to do, I should have you arrested at once for fraud; but I don't see that that would do me any good." "Harry," said Eversleigh, haltingly, "I was your father's friend, and I was never unkind to you." "Never unkind to me! What have you done with my money?" "I never had a penny of it." "Oh, you put the blame on Silwood! He is dead, and cannot deny the charge." "I never had anything to do with selling your property, Harry. I did not know it had been sold until a day or two ago--until yesterday, in fact." "But you did know when you wrote me. You lied about it." "I did," acknowledged Eversleigh. "I could not help it. Consider how I was situated!" "You were to get me the ten thousand pounds, and to pretend to sell the Mansions?" "That was it." "You can get me the ten thousand?" "No; that was a pretence too. I cannot get you the money." "Worse and worse!" exclaimed Bennet. "What has been done with the money?" "Mr. Silwood might have told you, I cannot. I had none of it, I again assure you," protested Eversleigh. Bennet now sat down. "Let us understand each other," he said. "So far as I make the matter out, the position is this: you state Mr. Silwood disposed of my property and appropriated the proceeds--is that it?" Eversleigh bowed. "What do you intend doing?" "Nothing. What can I do?" Bennet sat very still, thinking what was the best course for him to take. "Do you suppose," he asked at length, "that Mr. Silwood was guilty of other--irregularities?" "How can I tell? For many years Mr. Silwood attended to all the financial business of the firm, and I never concerned myself with it at all. And now I can only find out very slowly and gradually how matters stand." "Have you no capital? No means of your own?" "No. I have always lived up to my income--you know how I have lived, Harry, for you have often shared my hospitality," said Eversleigh, appealingly. "Oh, your hospitality be ----!" cried Bennet, rudely. "How does that help either you or me now? If anything, it makes matters worse. What I ought to do is just what I said. I should go to another solicitor, tell him how the case stands, and in a short time you would be in prison. But what good will that be to me? I must think everything over very carefully. I shall not be precipitate." Eversleigh held up his head a little. "Thank you, Harry," he said.