led
business association with my father will cease, I shall be happier. My
father can earn his living and I have my stage work."

"You have your stage work," the colonel did not smile but his tone
betrayed his amusement, "and your father can earn his living, eh? He can
earn his living in Portland Gaol," he said, raising his voice.

"For the matter of that, so can you, colonel."

The colonel turned his head slowly and surveyed the spare figure in the
doorway.

"Oh, you heard me, did you, Solly," he said not unpleasantly.

"I heard you," said Solomon White, his lean face a shade whiter than the
girl had ever seen it and his breathing was a little laboured.

"If you are thinking of gaoling me," said White, "why, I think we shall
make up a pretty jolly party."

"Meaning me?" said the colonel, raising his eyebrows.

"You amongst others. Pinto Silva, 'Swell' Crewe and Selby, to name a
few."

Colonel Boundary permitted himself to chuckle.

"On what charge?" he asked, "tell me that, Solly? The cleverest men in
Scotland Yard have been laying for me for years and they haven't got
away with it. Maybe they have your assistance and that dog Hanson----"

"That's a lie," interrupted White, "so far as I am concerned--I know
nothing about Hanson."

"Hanson," said the colonel slowly, "is a thief. He bolted with L300 of
mine, as I've reported to the police."

"I see," said White with a little smile of contempt, "got your charge in
first, eh, colonel--discredit the witness. And what have you framed for
me?"

"Nothing," said the colonel, "except this. I've just had from the bank a
cheque for L4,000 drawn in your favour on our joint account and
purporting to be signed by Silva and myself."

"As it happens," said White, "it was signed by you fellows in my
presence."

The colonel shook his head.

"Obdurate to the last, brazening it out to the end--why not make a frank
confession to an old business associate, Solly? I came here to see you
about that cheque."

"That's the game, is it?" said White. "You are going to charge me with
forgery, and suppose I spill it?"

"Spill what?" asked the colonel innocently. "If by 'spill' you mean make
a statement to the police derogatory to myself and my business
associates, what can you tell? I can bring a dozen witnesses to prove
that both Pinto and I were in Brighton the morning that cheque was
signed."

"You came up by car at night," said White harshly. "We arranged to meet
outsi