"

"Quite serious," he replied; "so much so that I shall bring in a
policeman to witness my act."

The girl was nearly in tears.

"It is monstrous of you! Uncle wouldn't--"

"Had you not better see your uncle?" he asked.

Something told her that he would keep his word. She had a horror of
scenes, and, worst of all, she feared the meeting of the two men under
these circumstances. Suddenly she leaned forward and tapped the window,
and the taxi slowed down.

"Tell him to go back and call at the nearest telegraph office. I want to
send a wire."

"If it is to Mr. Frank Merrill," said Jasper smoothly, "you may save
yourself the trouble. I have already wired."

Frank came back to London in a pardonable fury. He drove straight to the
hotel, only to learn that the girl had left again with her uncle. He
looked at his watch. He had still some work to do at the bank, though he
had little appetite for work.

Yet it was to the bank he went. He threw a glance over the counter to
the table and the chair where he had sat for so long and at which he was
destined never to sit again, for as he was passing behind the counter
Mr. Brandon met him.

"Your uncle wishes to see you, Mr. Merrill," he said gravely.

Frank hesitated, then walked into the office, closing the door behind
him, and he noticed that Mr. Brandon did not attempt to follow.

John Minute sat in the one easy chair and looked up heavily as Frank
entered.

"Sit down, Frank," he said. "I have a lot of things to ask you."

"And I've one or two things to ask you, uncle," said Frank calmly.

"If it is about May, you can save yourself the trouble," said the other.
"If it is about Mr. Rex Holland, I can give you a little information."

Frank looked at him steadily.

"I don't quite get your meaning, sir," he said, "though I gather there
is something offensive behind what you have said."

John Minute twisted round in the chair and threw one leg over its padded
arm.

"Frank," he said, "I want you to be perfectly straight with me, and I'll
be as perfectly straight with you."

The young man made no reply.

"Certain facts have been brought to my attention, which leave no doubt
in my mind as to the identity of the alleged Mr. Rex Holland," said John
Minute slowly. "I don't relish saying this, because I have liked you,
Frank, though I have sometimes stood in your way and we have not seen
eye to eye together. Now, I want you to come down to Eastbourne
to-morrow and