If Torry had found that Donna Maria was an obstinate woman he speedily discovered that Mr. Leighbourne was a fool. Old, narrow-minded, and egotistical, the banker was one of those pig-headed men who are the despair of reasonable mortals. Once an idea was put into his head it could not be got out again, and he constantly referred to his age and worldly experience as legitimate reasons for his entertaining the most preposterous ideas. He resembled closely those dogged, mulish Kings, Charles I. and Louis XVI., and was as bad to deal with as the two of them rolled into one. Never was there a man less open to conviction. This unpleasant old person regarded his late partner as a martyr, and beyond a tendency to rash speculation, he could not be got to see that Grent had any faults. He denied that Grent could, by any possibility, have taken the money; he declined to believe that the good man had contemplated eloping with Lydia Hargone, and pointedly insulted Torry for daring to make such statements. The end of the interview was that Torry left in a rage, and vowed that he would not see Mr. Leighbourne again until he could prove the truth of his declarations. He might have saved himself the trouble, for the banker was determined to canonise his partner, and in the true spirit of bigotry, would rather have suffered death than believe any single statement detrimental to his intention. By the time the conversation with Leighbourne was ended Torry felt inclined to commit murder himself, and regretted that this patriarchal ass had not been killed instead of Grent. In the hope of finding some consolation after his late trying interview, Torry flew as hard as a hansom could take him, to Darrel's rooms. But here he fell out of the frying-pan into the fire, for Blake was with the novelist, and appeared to be in a great rage. He was quarrelling with Darrel, who was trying to pacify him, but on seeing the detective he immediately left his friend to attack the newcomer. "Here is the man himself," cried Roderick furiously. "Come, sir, what have you to say to the scandalous way in which you have behaved towards Miss Hargone?" "Oh, oh!" said Torry, leisurely taking a seat, "so she has set you on to me has she?" "No she hasn't," almost shouted Blake; "but she complained that you insulted her." "If I did, Mr. Blake, it was in the exercise of my duty. I asked Miss Hargone for certain information which I knew she possessed, and she declined to give it to me. As to insulting the lady I did no such thing." "There Blake," said Darrel, soothingly, "that is a very reasonable and polite explanation; so instead of bawling at the pitch of your voice, suppose you sit down and discuss the matter like a Christian." Still looking red and angry the Irishman flung himself petulantly into a chair. "I am willing to hear what you have to say, Mr. Torry," he growled sulkily, but with the dignified air of one who awaits an explanation.