Mr. Dombrain shivered, and had the clerk not been present he would have sworn. As it was, however, he merely told the clerk to show the gentleman in, and then trembled at the thought of this second phantom of the past which had succeeded to Mrs. Belswin. She knew about his little mistake in New Zealand, so also did Mr. Oates; and Mr. Dombrain groaned in dismay as he thought of the double chance of exposure now threatening him. Did the American come as a friend, as an enemy, or in ignorance? Dombrain hoped the first, dreaded the second, but felt pretty confident that the third was the American's state of mind, as he certainly would never connect Dombrain the solicitor with Damberton the convict. However, it would be decided in another minute, so Mr. Dombrain smoothed his hair, imposed a nervous grin on his mouth, and waited the advent of this second bogie with inward fear but outward calm. The millionaire entered, quite unaware of the second shock which awaited him; for his purpose in seeking out Mr. Dombrain was wholly unconnected with the idea that he would find an old friend. The fact is, Mr. Oates had read the Thornstream case, had noticed that Mrs. Belswin was mixed up with it, and had sought out Mr. Dombrain--whose name was also in the papers--with the idea of finding out the precise position held by Mrs. Belswin in the house of her former husband. Sir Rupert's solicitor could tell him this if it was drawn from him artfully. Mr. Dombrain was Sir Rupert's solicitor, so to Mr. Dombrain came the wary Silas, wholly ignorant of what awaited him. Silas did not notice Dombrain particularly at first, but sat down in the chair beside the table and cast about for some good idea wherewith to begin an extremely awkward conversation. Dombrain saw that he was not recognised, so kept his face in the shadow as much as possible, and spoke in a low, gruff voice, as if his throat was stuffed with cotton wool. "I have called, sir," observed Mr. Oates, after a preliminary cough, "to speak to you about the late Sir Rupert Pethram." "Yes?" "You, sir, I understand, were his lawyer. Is that so?" "That is so," replied Dombrain, unconsciously dropping into the Americanisms of the speaker. "A friend of mine, sir," pursued Mr. Oates, after another pause, "was connected, I believe, with the deceased. I allude, sir, to Mrs. Belswin." "Mrs. Belswin!" The name so startled Dombrain, that he forgot his intention of keeping his identity concealed from his visitor, and speaking in his natural voice started forward so that his face was clearly seen by Silas. Now Mr. Oates, in addition, to his many other gifts for getting the better of his fellow creatures, possessed a remarkably retentive memory in the matter of faces, and in spite of the alteration Mr. Dombrain had made in his appearance, recognised him at once. This time his nerves did not belie the reputation he gave them, and after a slight start he leaned back in his chair with a slight, dry smile.