‘No,’ he said, ‘I never heard of any one of ‘em.’ His shifty eye tried in vain to meet his questioner’s, and he began to fumble nervously with other papers which he had drawn from his pocket in his search for the first. ‘It needs no penetration to discover that this man is lying,’ said the General to himself. He addressed his question to John Jervase, who made shift somehow to meet his look. ‘Do you know these men?’ he asked. ‘No,’ John answered, ‘I never heard of one of them. It’s a conspiracy,’ he cried, suddenly, ‘that’s what it is! It’s a conspiracy! Quit shaking, you wretched coward! Stand up and fight this infernal libel like a man. Ain’t there two of us? If this wicked charge is brought against James Knock Jervoyce, ain’t it brought as well against Jack Jervase, his cousin and his partner? Look at me! You don’t see me shivering and shaking like a frightened rabbit with a weasel after him.’ ‘Ah! ‘cried James, in a weak exasperation, ‘it all very well for you. It might mean loss of money to you at the worst; but I’m the man they’re going for.’ ‘Oh,’ said John, ‘you are, are you? And why’s that?’ ‘Stubbs told me this afternoon,’ said James, c that he could smash me dead, but so far he has no particle of evidence against you.’ A light sprang into the burly scoundrel’s eyes. He veiled it in an instant, but not before two of the quartette there present had read it. The boy turned away, groaning, and the General looked after him with a face from which all sternness disappeared for a moment. ‘Poor lad! ‘he said, within doors. ‘Poor lad!’ ‘Now, look here,’ said John Jervase, ‘they haven’t got any evidence agen you any more than they have agen me. The whole thing’s a put-up job. If it was De Blacquaire’s doing, he’d have gone for me rather than for you, because he always hated me, and I’ve put him down more than once or twice at Petty Sessions, and taught him to know his place. But De Blacquaire’s an officer and a gentleman’--he made a burly bow towards the General--’ and I don’t suppose for a minute that he’d be guilty even of dreaming of such a piece of rascality as this. It’s much more likely to be some pettifogging lawyer’s game--some sneaking rogue that’s got these fellow-rascals round him, with an idea of doing a little bit of blackmail. Stubbs is a decent fellow--for a lawyer. I don’t think Stubbs would have a finger in that sort of pie, any more than his master. But Stubbs has been got at; that’s how it’ll turn out, you bet. Keep your pecker up, James,’ he added, in a tone which the patron and the bully spoke at once. ‘Well take care of you. Just you trust to old Jack Jervase--that’s your game, my lad. He’ll fight the battle for the pair of us.’