'Look here, my lord. You bolted fifteen years ago because you'd got twenty-five thousand pounds out of me by forging your father's signature. And it seems that you've only come back now because you hope to beat me again by chucking this cock and bull story in my face. Don't you make any mistake. I'm going to have my money--with interest; proper interest, mind; and no silly nonsense--or I'll have you!' So that was how I came to meet my double in San Francisco. He had made a little mistake with a pen. Well, his lordship might esteem himself lucky that at least that piece of business had fallen into my hands. I would do him a service right away. 'I have one remark to make, Mr. Fraser----' 'My name's Acrodato. Don't you call me out of my name!' He positively shouted. I, also, can raise my voice. It was undignified, but I shouted back again. 'I say that I have one remark to make, Mr. Fraser!' He gave a startled look round; he didn't seem to relish the notion that I might be audible on the other side of the square. 'Don't speak so loud.' 'I make it a rule to reply in the tone in which I am addressed; the pitch, therefore, depends on you. I was about to observe, when you interrupted me, that I have only one remark to make, Mr. Fraser, with reference to the matter on which you have touched. You have been completely misinformed with regard to the authenticity of the signature which is attached to the document in question.' 'Well! You always were a bit of a liar, but that takes the biscuit! Do you mean to say your father's name on that bill isn't a forgery?' 'I do.' 'When you ran for it because he said it was?' 'I had no wish to create a scandal by impugning my father's veracity.' 'You used to have a face before you went; but I never saw anything like the one you seem to have come back with. I don't want to be hard on you, although you treated me so bad. You've got the money now, and I'm willing to let bygones be bygones. Hand over my capital and decent interest and I'll say no more about it.' 'I don't intend to give you a penny.' 'What's that you say?' 'I intend to hang you--unless a spirit of mollycoddleism commutes the sentence to one of penal servitude for life. Look here, my lad. Lord or no lord, don't you take me for a fool. If you don't satisfy me inside five minutes I'll have a warrant for you in an hour.' I rang the bell. 'What's that for?' A servant came. 'Fetch a constable at once.' Mr. Acrodato seemed unhappy. 'Don't you--don't you be a fool!' He turned to the man at the door. 'Don't you do anything of the kind.' 'You heard what I said?' The servant was withdrawing when Mr. Acrodato became excited. 'Stop! Look here, my lord, don't you do anything in a hurry. You first of all listen to me!' 'See that some one is ready to fetch a constable the moment I ring; two of you remain within call.' The man withdrew. Mr. Acrodato evidently did not relish my parting injunction.