t formed as it were the
last necessary plank for the raft of safety he desired to construct. He
got up from his place, animated by this great idea, and staggering to
the helpless Steinberg, fell down beside him and gripped his hands.

'Tie him, Mr. Bommaney, tie him!' gurgled Barter. 'He's been the ruin
of me, curse him. I should have been an honest man if it hadn't been for
him. It's him that led me into it, and he's had every sixpence of the
money. I've been his tool, his miserable tool. Tie him, Mr. Bommaney,
before he comes round again. I'll hold him for you.'

One may get good advice from the most unexpected quarter, and
whencesoever good advice may come it is worth while to follow it. Phil
took a dandy scarf from Steinberg's own neck, and tied him tightly,
wrist to wrist Then he helped him to his feet, and set him in a chair.

'He came here to-night,' Barter gurgled on, with tears of sincerest
penitence, 'to bleed me again. He's got my I.O.U. for L82 he cheated me
of last week. He's had every penny of the money. I haven't had so much
as a single farthing of it myself. I'll swear I haven't.'

'That's your lay, is it?' said Steinberg, whose scattered wits were
coming back to him. 'You shall answer for this violence in the proper
quarter, Bommaney.'

'I will answer for it in the proper quarter,' Phil replied. 'I will
trouble you, Mr. Steinberg, to come to the proper quarter now.'

'You won't forget,' said Barter, 'that I helped to capture him. You'll
speak a word for me, Mr. Bommaney?

'I've been that villain's victim all along. I should never have gone
wrong if it hadn't been for him, and I've wanted to send the money back
over and over again, but he got it into his own hands and wouldn't
listen to it, and after all I never took the money, Mr. Bommaney--I only
found it. It was Steinberg kept it. He said I should be a fool to let it
go.'

What sentiments of contempt and rage inspired Mr. Steinberg's bosom
at this juncture must be imagined. He looked them all, but verbally
expressed none of them.

'Get up,' said Phil, addressing him. Steinberg obeyed. 'Take a seat in
that corner.' Steinberg obeyed again. 'Now you--' to Barter, 'take a
place in that corner, behind the desk.'

'With pleasure, Mr. Bommaney,' said Barter, 'with the very greatest
willingness. I desire to make no resistance to the law. I helped to
capture the criminal Please remember that, Mr. Bommaney. Pray remember
that.'

He took hold of a