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 shoulder. No, Mr. Mason, if I can't carry on without bribery and corruption, I won't carry on at all. He'd called at the wrong house with that dodge, and so he soon found.'

'And you think he was an emissary from Messrs. Round and Crook?'

'Hush—sh—sh. For heaven's sake, Mr. Mason, do be a little lower. You can put two and two together as well as I can, Mr. Mason. I find they make four. I don't know whether your calculation will be the same. My belief is, that these people are determined to save that woman. Don't you see it in that young fellow's eye—that his heart is all on the other side. Now he's got hold of that woman Bolster, and he'll teach her to give such evidence as will upset us. But I'll be even with him yet, Mr. Mason. If you'll only trust me, we'll both be even with him yet.'

Mr. Mason at the present moment said nothing further, and when Dockwrath pressed him to continue the conversation in whispers, he distinctly said that he would rather say no more upon the subject just then. He would wait for Mr. Round's return. 'Am I at liberty,' he asked, 'to mention that offer of the thousand pounds?'

'What—to Mat Round?' said Dockwrath. 'Certainly not, Mr. Mason. It wouldn't be our game at all.'

'Very well, sir.' And then Mr. Mason took up a newspaper, and no further words were spoken till the door opened and Mr. Round re-entered the room.

This he did with slow, deliberate step, and stopping on the hearth-rug, he stood leaning with his back against the mantelpiece. It was clear from his face to see that he had much to tell, and clear also that he was not pleased at the turn which affairs were taking.

'Well, gentlemen, I have examined the woman,' he said, 'and here is her deposition.'

'And what does she say?' asked Mr. Mason.

'Come, out with it, sir,' said Dockwrath. 'Did she, or did she not sign two documents on that day?'

'Mr. Mason,' said Round, turning to that gentleman, and altogether ignoring Dockwrath and his question; 'I have to tell you that her statement, as far as it goes, fully corroborates your view of the case. As far as it goes, mind you.'

'Oh, it does; does it?' said Dockwrath.

'And she is the only important witness?' said Mr. Mason with great exultation.

'I have never said that; what I did say was this—that your case must break down unless her evidence supported it. It does support it—strongly; but you will want more than that.'

'And now if you please, Mr. Round, what is it that she deposed?' asked Dockwrath.

'She remembers it all then?' said Mason.