The stranger’s peculiar voice was now intensified in its odd, harsh intonations. The effect on Potts was overwhelming. For a moment he was unable to speak. “Philips!” he gasped, at length. “Yes. You sent him on business to Smithers & Co. He has not yet returned. He does not intend to, for he was found out by Messrs. Bigelow, Higginson, & Co., and you know how timid he is. They have succeeded in extracting the truth from him. As I am in a hurry, and you, too, must be busy,” continued the stranger, with unchanged accents, “I will now come to the point. These forged papers involve an amount to the extent of--Brandon forgeries, £93,500; Thornton papers, £5000; Bank of Good Hope, £4000; being in all £102,500. Messrs. Bigelow, Higginson, & Co. have instructed me to say that they will sell these papers to you at their face without charging interest. They will hand them over to you and you can destroy them, in which case, of course, the charge must be dropped.” “Philips!” cried Potts. “I’ll have that devil’s blood!” “That would be murder,” said the stranger, with a peculiar emphasis. His tone stung Potts to the quick. “You appear to take me for a born fool,” he cried, striding up and down. “Not at all. I am only an agent carrying out the instructions of others.” Potts suddenly stopped in his walk. “Have you all those papers about you?” he hissed. “All.” Potts looked all around. The door was locked. They were alone. The stranger easily read his thought. “No use,” said he, calmly. “Messrs. Bigelow, Higginson, & Co. would miss me if any thing happened. Besides, I may as well tell you that I am armed.” The stranger rose up and faced Potts, while, from behind his dark spectacles, his eyes seemed to glow like fire. Potts retreated with a curse. “Messrs. Bigelow, Higginson, & Co. instructed me to say that if I am not back with the money by to-morrow night, they will at once begin action, and have your son arrested. They will also inform Smithers & Co., to whom they say you are indebted for over £600,000. So that Smithers & Co. will at once come down upon you for payment.” “Do Smithers & Co. know any thing about this?” asked Potts, in a voice of intense anxiety. “They do business with you the same as ever, do they not?” “Yes.” “How do you suppose they can know it?” “They would never believe it” “They would believe any statement made by Messrs. Bigelow, Higginson, & Co. My seniors have been on your track for a long time, and have come into connection with various parties. One man who is an Italian they consider important. They authorize me to state to you that this man can also prove the forgeries.” “Who?” grasped Potts. “His name is Cigole.” “Cigole!” “Yes.” “D--- him!” “You may damn him, but that won’t silence him,” remarked the other, mildly. “Well, what are you going to do?” growled Potts.