"He told me so himself," said Tolomeo, quietly, "and it was because he thought I might know where Bernard was that he saw me. He said he would forgive Bernard and help me. We had some words, as he called me--a Tolomeo--names which I could not hear quietly. But afterwards he said he would help me, and then he wanted to see Bernard. Miss Randolph told him of the use she had made of the Red Window, so in this London house he did the same thing, hoping that Bernard might see the light and enter. If Bernard had," said the Italian, with great earnestness, "all would have been well." "Do you know if Sir Simon sent a boy to bring Bernard?" "No. I do not know. Sir Simon said nothing of that. He only put the lamp behind the handkerchief in the hope that Bernard might come to the house. For all he knew Bernard might have learned where he was staying. I think the old man was sorry he quarrelled with my poor nephew," said Tolomeo, with earnestness. "Well, after arranging this you left Sir Simon?" "Not immediately. Mrs. Gilroy came in and said that someone wanted to see Sir Simon. He heard her whisper to him, and said I could go away, telling Mrs. Gilroy to send up the stranger. She went away. I followed, and opened the door myself." "The front door?" "Yes. But when I was going out I heard Sir Simon call over the stairs. He asked me to return. I closed the door and did so." "Ah!" said Durham, making a note. "Mrs. Gilroy thought you had left the house. She said so in her diary. Then she came upstairs?" "No," said Tolomeo, "she did not. I went back to the room. Sir Simon said he wanted me to be present, as he had a disagreeable interview. He made me hide behind a curtain. I did so. Then the door opened and Bernard entered." "What!" Durham started from his seat. "That's impossible." "Of course it is," rejoined the Italian, smiling; "but I assure you, signor, the man who entered I took to be Bernard. He was----" "Michael, the son of Mrs. Gilroy. I know that." "Ah! And how?" asked Tolomeo, surprised and rather vexed. "I hoped to astonish you by this." "Well, it's a long story. I'll tell it after you tell me yours. Michael entered dressed as a soldier." "Yes," said Tolomeo, more and more surprised by the extent of the lawyer's knowledge. "I thought he was my nephew until I heard his conversation. Then I knew that this was Mrs. Gilroy's son and that she had been deceived by Walter Gore in a false marriage. Sir Simon told Michael that he was tired of assisting him, and accused him of making love to the housemaid. The boy--he is but a boy, signor--acknowledged this. Then Sir Simon said that Michael had forged his name for one thousand pounds." Durham started up again. "What! Ah!" he said. "So that was a forgery, and I thought Sir Simon gave him the check. It was honored."