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The two young men looked at each other. Then Breton nodded. "Let him talk if he likes," he said. "We're not bound to believe him. And we may hear something that's true. Give him his cigar and his drink." Myerst took a stiff pull at the contents of the tumbler which Spargo presently set before him. He laughed as he inhaled the first fumes of his cigar.
"We're taking that for granted," said Spargo. "We guessed as much when we found you here. You'll have ample opportunity for explanation, you know, later on." "I'll explain now, if you care to hear," said Myerst with another of his cynical laughs. "And if I do, I'll tell you the truth.
At the table in the middle of the floor the three men sat. Cardlestone's face was in the shadow; Myerst had his back to the window; old Elphick bending over the table was laboriously writing with shaking fingers. And Spargo twisted his head round to his companion. "Elphick," he said, "is writing a cheque. Myerst has another cheque in his hand.
Tie Myerst up hand and foot to that chair. And tie him well. All the knots to be double, Spargo, and behind him." Myerst suddenly laughed. "You damned young bully!" he exclaimed. "If you put a rope round me, you're only putting ropes round the necks of these two old villains. Mark that, my fine fellows!" "We'll see about that later," answered Breton.
"Oh!" said Myerst, with another sneering laugh. "And on what charge do you propose to hand me over to the police? It strikes me you'll have some difficulty in formulating one, Mr. Breton." "Well see about that later," said Breton. "You've extorted money by menaces from these gentlemen, at any rate."
"He's gone!" he exclaimed in quavering accents. "My old friend's gone he's dead! I was asleep. I woke suddenly and looked at him. He " Spargo forced the old man into a chair and gave him some whisky; Breton passed quickly into the inner room; only to come back shaking his head. "He's dead," he said. "He evidently died in his sleep." "Then his secret's gone with him," remarked Myerst, calmly.
He jerked his thumb over his shoulder in Myerst's direction, and Breton involuntarily followed the movement. He caught the prisoner's eye, and Myerst laughed. "I daresay you two young men think yourselves very clever," he said sneeringly. "Don't you, now?" "We've been clever enough to catch you, anyway," retorted Breton. "And now we've got you we'll keep you till the police can relieve us of you."
"Myerst! Good Lord! why did I never think of him? Myerst! Then " "I don't know why you should have thought of him," said Breton. "But he's there." Spargo took a step towards the cottage: Breton pulled him back. "Wait!" he said. "We've got to discuss this. I'd better tell you what they're doing." "What are they doing, then?" demanded Spargo impatiently. "Well," answered Breton.
"I may remind you that I'm hungry, too," he said as Spargo set the coffee on the table. "And you've no right to starve me, even if you've the physical ability to keep me tied up. Give me something to eat, if you please." "You shan't starve," said Breton, carelessly. He cut an ample supply of bread and meat, filled a cup with coffee and placed cup and plate before Myerst.
First walked the chairman, abreast with the high official, who had brought the necessary authorization from the all-powerful quarter; then came Myerst carrying the box: followed two other gentlemen, both legal lights, charged with watching official and police interests; Rathbury and Spargo brought up the rear.
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