"I opinionate," remarked Silas, reflectively, "that I've been on your tracks before." "No!" "It was," continued Silas, without taking any notice of the denial, "it was in New Zealand, sir. Dunedin was the city. A healthy gaol, sir, according to the guide books." "I don't know what you're talking about," said Dombrain, doggedly, resuming his seat. "I never saw you before, and I'm a stranger to you." "Dombrain is a stranger, I confess," said Silas, fixing his clear eyes on the sullen face of the man before him, "but I can size up the party called Damberton without much trouble. I reckon I can tell you a story about him, Mr. Dombrain, if you want particulars." "No, no!" said Dombrain hoarsely, wiping his forehead; "it's no use beating about the bush. I am Damberton, but now I'm quite respectable. You surely are not going to----" "I'm goin' to do nothin', sir. You ain't upsettin' my apple-cart. No, sir. That's a fact, anyhow." "Then what do you want me to do for you?" asked Dombrain, with a sigh of relief. "Well, now," replied Silas, thoughtfully, "that's just what I've got to find out. Mrs. Belswin--hey! Do you know who Mrs. Belswin is?" "Yes, the she-devil! Pethram's wife. She was here half an hour ago." "Is that so? I say, you ain't playin' in the same yard, I guess. Not much, when you call her names." "I hate her!" said Dombrain, fiercely; "she is the curse of my life." "I reckon she's been raisin' Cain here," observed Silas, shrewdly. "Well, that ain't any of my business, but she's been tryin' the same game on with me. Now I'm a quiet man, sir, and I don't want no catamount spittin' round my front door, so I want you to put the set on that lady." "What can I do?" "I've been readin' your noospapers, sir. They can't scream like the American eagle. Not much! But I read all about that shootin' case, and I see you were waltzin' round! hey! Mrs. Pethram wasn't far off neither, I guess." "No; she was companion to Miss Pethram." "Well, you do surprise me, sir. I s'pose her daughter didn't rise to the fact that Mrs. Belswin was her mamma." "No; she knew nothing. Mrs. Belswin obtained the situation while Sir Rupert Pethram was absent. When he returned she had an interview with him, and----" "And he passed in his cheques," concluded Silas, musingly. "Queer thing that, anyhow." "You don't think," began Dombrain hastily, when Silas interrupted him promptly. "I don't think at all," he said, rising and putting on his hat. "I don't want to think. Compoundin' a felony isn't in my line nohow." "But surely, sir----" Oates, who had turned away, faced round suddenly, with a sharp look in his foxy face which made Dombrain feel somewhat ill at ease. "See here, Mister," he said slowly. "Mrs. Belswin's been round at my hotel tryin' to get dollars. I gave her five hundred, and now this bank's shut. She gets no more, I guess, this fall, because you'll tell her she's not to come gavortin' round my claim no more." "But I can't stop her."