p things straight last week."

"What's the matter with your lip? It seems to be swollen."

"I had a turn with that fellow Dimsdale," Ezra answered, putting his
hand up to his mouth to hide the disfigurement. "He followed us to the
station, and we had to beat him off; but I think I left my marks upon
him."

"He played some damned hokey-pokey business on me," said Burt.
"He tripped me in some new-fangled way, and nigh knocked the breath out
of me. I don't fall as light as I used."

"He did not succeed in tracing you?" Girdlestone asked uneasily.
"There is no chance of his turning up here and spoiling the whole
business?"

"Not the least," said Ezra confidently. "He was in the hands of a
policeman when I saw him last."

"That is well. Now I should like, before we go further, to say a few
words to Mr. Burt as to what has led up to this."

"You haven't got a drop to drink, boss?"

"Yes, yes, of course. What is that in the bottle over there?
Ginger wine. How will that do?"

"Here's something better," Ezra said, rummaging in the cupboard.
"Here is a bottle of Hollands. It is Mrs. Jorrocks' private store, I
fancy."

Burt poured himself out half a tumblerful, and filled it up with water.
"Drive along," he said; "I am lisnin'."

Girdlestone rose and stood with his back to the fire, and his hands
under his coat-tails. "I wish you to understand," he said, "that this
is no sudden determination of ours, but that events have led up to it in
such a way that it was impossible to avoid it. Our commercial honour
and integrity are more precious to us than anything else, and we have
both agreed that we are ready to sacrifice anything rather than lose it.
Unfortunately, our affairs have become somewhat involved, and it was
absolutely necessary that the firm should have a sum of money promptly
in order to extricate itself from its difficulties. This sum we
endeavoured to get through a daring speculation in diamonds, which was,
though I say it, ingeniously planned and cleverly carried out, and which
would have succeeded admirably had it not been for an unfortunate
chance."

"I remember," said Burt.

"Of course. You were there at the time. We were able to struggle along
for some time after this on money which we borrowed and on the profits
of our African trade. The time came, however, when the borrowed money
was to be repaid, and once again the firm was in danger. It was then
that we first thought of the fortune