Mr. Taynton got up from his chair, strolled across to the window where he drew down the blind a little, so as to shut out the splash of sunlight that fell on his table.

“You have been betting again, I suppose,” he asked quietly.

“Yes, and have been unfortunate.  Pray do not trouble to tell me again how foolish it is to gamble like that.  You may be right.  I have no doubt you are right.  But I think one has as much right to gamble with one’s own money as to do so with the money of other people.”

This apparently seemed unanswerable; anyhow Mr. Taynton made no reply.  Then, having excluded the splash of sunlight he sat down again.

“You have not threatened, you tell me,” he said, “but you have pointed out to me that there is no evidence that you have had a hand in certain transactions.  You say that I know you have helped me in these transactions; you say you require remuneration for your services.  Does not that, I ask, imply a threat?  Does it not mean that you are blackmailing me?  Else why should you bring these facts—­I do not dispute them—­to my notice?  Supposing I refuse you remuneration?”

Mills had noted the signs of agitation and anxiety.  He felt that he was on safe ground.  The blackmailer lives entirely on the want of courage in his victims.

“You will not, I hope, refuse me remuneration,” he said.  “I have not threatened you yet, because I feel sure you will be wise.  I might, of course, subsequently threaten you.”

Again there was silence.  Mr. Taynton had picked up a quill pen, the same with which he had been writing before, for the nib was not yet dry.

“The law is rather severe on blackmailers,” he remarked.

“It is.  Are you going to bring an action against me for blackmail?  Will not that imply the re-opening of—­of certain ledgers, which we agreed last night had better remain shut?”

Again there was silence.  There was a completeness in this reasoning which rendered comment superfluous.

“How much do you want?” asked Mr. Taynton.

Mills was not so foolish as to “breathe a sigh of relief.”  But he noted with satisfaction that there was no sign of fight in his adversary and partner.

“I want two thousand pounds,” he said, “at once.”

“That is a large sum.”

“It is.  If it were a small sum I should not trouble you.”

Mr. Taynton again got up and strayed aimlessly about the room.

“I can’t give it you to-day,” he said.  “I shall have to sell out some stock.”

“I am not unreasonable about a reasonable delay,” said Mills.

“You are going to town this afternoon?”

“Yes, I must.  There is a good deal of work to be done.  It will take me all to-morrow.”

“And you will be back the day after to-morrow?”

“Yes, I shall be back here that night, that is to say, I shall not get away from town till the afternoon.  I should like your definite answer then, if it is not inconvenient.  I could come and see you that night, the day after to-morrow—­if you wished.”