; in your hands all that evidence is waste
paper--it's the date and manner of its discovery which must be proved
to make it of any value--and that's where _I_ come in. I need scarcely
tell you perhaps that I don't propose to mix myself up in all this,
unless there is some better understanding between us in the future.'

'You had better be quite plain,' said Vincent. 'What is your
proposal?'

'There has been a little unpleasantness about a letter which little
Dolly Langton and I accidentally----'

'I know the facts, thank you,' interrupted Vincent.

'That makes it easier,' continued the other, unabashed, 'though you've
probably been told the highly coloured version.'

'I've been told that you bullied that poor child into burning a letter
of mine which you hadn't the courage to suppress for yourself,' said
Vincent.

'Ah, that _is_ the highly coloured version,' said Caffyn, 'but for the
purposes of the present case we'll assume it to be correct, if you
like. Well, we can't possibly work together if you won't make up your
mind to let bygones be bygones: you understand.'

'I think I do,' said Vincent. 'Provided I forget that a letter of mine
was intercepted and destroyed, unread, by a cowardly, cold-blooded
trick, which if it was not actually a felony came very near
it--provided I forget all that and treat you as an intimate friend of
mine, I shall have your support?'

'Coarsely put,' said Caffyn, 'but you seem to have got hold of the
main point.'

'And if I decline,' said Vincent, 'what then?'

'Why, then,' returned Caffyn, placidly, 'I'm afraid that my friend in
whose custody the papers are, and who really is as casual a person as
I ever met, may mislay those documents or go off somewhere without
leaving his address--which would make things awkward.'

Vincent could stand no more; the anger he had suppressed for some time
broke out at last.

'If you dare to make me an offer like that in any other place than a
friend's house, if you even try to speak to me when we next meet, you
will be unpleasantly surprised at your reception! Do you think any
help you could give me would be worth the disgrace of having you for a
friend? If I am asked my opinion of you, I shall give it, and it will
not be one you would care to quote. As for the papers, tell your
friend (you will not have to go very far to find him)--tell him he may
do what he pleases with them, mislay them, suppress them, burn them,
if he likes--perhaps he w