Lawyer Griffin was eyeing Prescott curiously.

“Yesterday afternoon,” continued Dick, changing the subject with seeming abruptness, “Fessenden, Bettrick and Deevers were all here, and signed affidavits before a clerk of yours, who is a notary public.”

“Proceed,” requested Mr. Griffin, without either denying or admitting the truth of Dick’s statement.

“Since he lost his bank position,” Dick went on, “Fessenden has been compelled to live in a wretched room next to that occupied by the sick man Peters.  Two nights ago, as you will remember, there was a heavy rain.  Now, the roof leaked at that tenement house, and the dripping water washed away some of the plaster covering the none-too-thick partition between the room of Fessenden and the room of Peters.  So our sick man heard much of the conversation between Fessenden and the fellow’s confederates.  Now Peters, the physician and the clergyman are all willing to swear to the statement that Bert Dodge hired Fessenden, Bettrick and Deevers to testify against me.  Young Dodge, according to the overheard conversation, met and drilled all three in their parts.  That was before the three came here yesterday afternoon, with the Dodges, and supplied you with the affidavits that you now hold.  For this service, Dodge is believed to have paid each young loafer the sum of twenty dollars, with a promise of eighty more apiece after they had told their tales in court.  That, Mr. Griffin, is the other side of the story.  Bert Dodge has deliberately hired three men to swear falsely against me.”

As he finished Dick dropped carelessly back into the chair.  He appeared wholly cool.  Not so Greg Holmes, whose face, during this recital, had been a study.  Now Greg was upon his feet in a flash.

“How long have you known this, old ramrod?” he demanded.

“Dr. Davidson told me this, in the back room at the store, just before we came here,” Prescott replied.

“And you never told me—–­didn’t even give me a hint?” cried Holmes reproachfully.

“Why, I thought I’d tell Mr. Griffin first,” answered Dick.

“I have seldom heard anything that interested me more,” admitted the lawyer.  “Yet, why didn’t you bring Dr. Davidson and Dr. Carter here with you?”

“One good reason,” replied Dick bluntly, “was that I didn’t know anything about you, Mr. Griffin.  I am glad to say that I have found you most fair minded.  But, not knowing you, I wanted to see you and judge for myself whether there was any chance that you were in league with my enemies.  Had I made up my mind that you were anywhere nearly as bad as young Dodge, I would have let this matter get as far as the courts, when I would have overwhelmed you all with charges of perjury, and would have proved my charges at least against Bert Dodge and his three tools.”

“Mr. Prescott, of course I don’t mean to throw any doubt over the truth of what you have just told me.  At the same time, as counsel for the Dodges, I shall have to satisfy myself on these particulars.