is had only
this moment dawned on him, as if he had not understood the first
statement. Then he seemed to collect himself.

"You can hardly do that," he said, "as I hold letters of yours which
imply such knowledge."

Mills smiled rather evilly.

"Ah, it is not worth while bluffing," he said. "I have never written such
a letter to you. You know it. Is it likely I should?"

Mr. Taynton apparently had no reply to this. But he had a question to
ask.

"Why are you taking up this hostile and threatening attitude?"

"I have not meant to be hostile, and I have certainly not threatened,"
replied Mills. "I have put before you, quite dispassionately I hope,
certain facts. Indeed I should say it was you who had threatened in the
matter of those letters, which, unhappily, have never existed at all. I
will proceed.

"Now what has been my part in this affair? I have observed you lost
money in speculations of which I disapproved, but you always knew best.
I have advanced money to you before now to tide over embarrassments that
would otherwise have been disastrous. By the exercise of diplomacy--or
lying--yesterday, I averted a very grave danger. I point out to you also
that there is nothing to implicate me in these--these fraudulent
employments of a client's money. So I ask, where I come in? What do I
get by it?"

Mr. Taynton's hands were trembling as he fumbled at some papers on his
desk.

"You know quite well that we are to share all profits?" he said.

"Yes, but at present there have not been any. I have been, to put it
plainly, pulling you out of holes. And I think--I think my trouble ought
to be remunerated. I sincerely hope you will take that view also. Or
shall I remind you again that there is nothing in the world to connect me
with these, well, frauds?"

Mr. Taynton got up from his chair, strolled across to the window where he
drew down the blind a little, so as to shut out the splash of sunlight
that fell on his table.

"You have been betting again, I suppose," he asked quietly.

"Yes, and have been unfortunate. Pray do not trouble to tell me again how
foolish it is to gamble like that. You may be right. I have no doubt you
are right. But I think one has as much right to gamble with one's own
money as to do so with the money of other people."

This apparently seemed unanswerable; anyhow Mr. Taynton made no reply.
Then, having excluded the splash of sunlight he sat down again.

"You have not threatened, you t