I refuse?" said Saurin.

"In that case I shall go to Dr Jolliffe, and put the matter in _his_
hands," replied Crawley.

"Well, I do not mind coming to hear what cock-and-bull story you have
trumped up," muttered Saurin, turning away. He feared lest an unguarded
word should betray him.

His anxiety was terrible. What did Crawley know? What was mere
conjecture? Of course Edwards had put him on the track; but had he done
so distinctly, or had this suspicion been aroused by his wandering talk
when delirious? Everything might depend on his exercising calm judgment
just now, but his head was in a whirl and he could not collect his wits.
Should he make a bolt? Oh, no! that would be confessing himself
guilty. Should he defy Crawley? That would bring about a trial, in
which he might be found guilty. It seemed safest to go to Crawley's
room at twelve and hear what he had to say.

So he went. Robarts and Gould sat on the two chairs with which the room
was supplied, Buller perched himself on the table, Smith on a box--all
full of curiosity and expectation. Crawley and Saurin remained
standing. The door was closed and a mat placed against it, to prevent
any sudden entry without warning.

"I am not going to beat about the bush," said Crawley. "I accuse Saurin
there of having come to this house, one Saturday when we were all out;
of having gone into my room, taken my keys out of the pocket of a coat
lying there, opened the cricket and football japanned box, and
abstracted four pounds twelve shillings from a purse inside it. Then I
assert that he put the keys back in the coat-pocket, having first locked
the box and put it back in its place, and ran back to his tutor's house,
where he changed and went out to play at football. The motive of this
theft was that he had been gambling at Slam's yard, lost all the money
he had or could raise; went on playing on credit, lost again, and was
threatened with exposure unless he paid up. He had meant to borrow the
money he wanted of you, Gould, and came to the house with that
intention. But as you were not in, he got it the other way."

"It is all a pack of lies!" cried Saurin. "At least about robbing, I
mean; for it is true that I lost money playing roulette, and that I
meant to borrow of Gould, only I squared matters with the man without."

"What day did you come to apply to me for that loan?" asked Gould.

"I don't know exactly; it was not on a Saturday I am not sure t