“I do not know to what you refer, or on what grounds you base the inference which you seem to have drawn.”

“No?  Then you will allow me to remark, Mr. Scott, that such familiarity as yours with a portion of Hugh Mainwaring’s private correspondence, extending back over a period of fifteen or more years, taking into consideration the facts that you cannot be much more than twenty-five years of age, and have only been about two years in Mr. Mainwaring’s employ, would indicate that you had sought to acquaint yourself with some facts connected with your employer’s early life with the express purpose of using the same to your own advantage.”

“You must see the inconsistency of such a supposition, when you consider that I have been in possession of these facts for some time — it is unnecessary to state how long — and have made no use of them whatever.”

“Possibly,” said Hobson, with emphasis, “your knowledge of the facts may not have been definite enough to warrant your use of them.”

His voice and manner unconsciously betrayed the importance which he attached to Scott’s reply.  The latter detected this, and answered evasively,-

“It is sufficiently definite for any own personal satisfaction in any event.”

Hobson shook his head.  “It is useless to evade the point.  You had an object in looking up that correspondence; you intended to make a good thing out of the facts you got hold of; and, if your information is sufficiently complete, you can make a good thing out of them yet.”

“If I have not attempted anything of that kind in the past, would I be likely to try it at this late day?” Scott asked, with the air of one who is open to any available suggestion.

Hobson at once assumed a confidential manner, and, moving a little nearer his visitor, replied, in a low tone,-

“Look here, Mr. Scott, that’s just why I wanted to meet you.  You see I knew more about you than you think.  I’ve taken an unusual interest in you, too; and, seeing the little game you were playing, and knowing that I held the trump card myself, I naturally would like to take a hand and help you out at the same time.  Now, the point is just this, Mr. Scott:  What do you really know concerning the transaction referred to in that correspondence?  I suppose you are familiar with all the letters that passed on both sides?”

“Perfectly so.”

“Certainly.  But you will acknowledge, Mr. Scott, that those letters were expressed in very guarded terms, and, with the exception of possibly one or two, gave no hint of the nature of that transaction.  Remember,” he added, impressively, “I have an exact copy of the correspondence on both sides, and no one could ever assume any statement or admissions that were not there.”

“I presumed that, of course,” said Scott, calmly.

“Now, my young friend, let us get down to the actual knowledge which you have of the facts.  You are, I suppose, aware that there was a missing will involved in the case?”