Page:Richard Marsh--The goddess a demon.djvu/188

176 "How much did you pay for them?"

"I paid Never mind what I paid for them! What's it got to do with you?" So far he had been wearing his silk hat. Now he took it off to wipe the brim. "As I say, I'm a soft-hearted man, and if it's not convenient to Mr. Lawrence to pay up all at once, why, I'm willing to do my best to meet his conveniences; but I—I'm not going to be talked to like that, certainly not!"

"Hand them over."

"Hand what over?"

"The bills."

"Against money."

"Hand over those bills."

"I haven't got them on me; they're in the safe at my office, under lock and key. Do you think I carry about with me documents of that value? You never know what sort of characters you may encounter."

This with a meaning glance in my direction.

"Hand over those bills."

"Help! Murder! Thieves!"

As he showed a disposition to make a noise, I took him by the throat. Lifting him on the big oak table, and laying him flat upon his back, I kept him quiet while I went through his pockets. As I expected, I found in the inside breast-pocket of his coat a leather case. In this were five promissory notes for £1000 each,