Claudius
in possession of the documents transmitted by Messrs. Screw and Scratch,
and that it was not his fault if he supposed that those astute gentlemen
had taken proper precautions to ascertain the identity of their client.
He went into many details, explaining how his suspicions had been
aroused by degrees in the course of many conversations. He was expecting
a question from Mr. Screw. At last it came.

"Mr. Barker," said Screw, fixing his brass-headed eyes intently on his
companion--for Mr. Screw was no fool--"Mr. Barker, you brought this man
over here, and you know him better than any one else. Now, what I want
to know is this. He may be the right man, after all. What we are going
to do is entirely precautionary. Do you want to appear or not?" Barker
had not expected the question to be put so directly, but he was
perfectly prepared for it.

"I am sure I do not care," he said, with a fine indifference. "I have no
objection. It is a mere question of expediency; do not consider me in
the matter. Do what you think is right," he added, emphasising the last
word, and meeting Screw's glance boldly enough. Screw looked at him for
a moment or two in silence, and then turned his eyes away. There was the
faintest reflection of a smile on his yellow face, and the expression
became him well. Screw was astute, sharp as a ferret, relentless as a
steel-corkscrew, crushing its cruel way through the creaking cork; but
Screw was an honest man, as the times go. That was the difference
between him and Barker. Screw's smile was his best expression, Barker's
smile was of the devil, and very wily. Screw smiled because he was
amused. Barker smiled when he was successful.

"I think for the present," said Mr. Screw, "that unless you positively
wish to appear, it would be as well that you should not. If we are
mistaken, and the Doctor is really what he pretends to be, it will be
very unpleasant for you afterwards to have been concerned in an inquiry
into the validity of his rights."

"Do you think so?" asked Barker, looking languidly across at Mr. Screw.
"Very well, in that case you may conduct the inquiry, and I will not
appear. I shall meet him just as if nothing had happened, and let him
tell me what you have done. Of course he will tell me, the first thing.
Besides, as you say, he may be the right man, after all."

"Exactly," said Mr. Screw. He knew perfectly well that Barker would not
want Claudius to know the part he had played,