millionaire."

"Nor am I. As a mere matter of pounds, shillings, and pence, it was a
serious matter for me when my wife's earnings ceased to come into the
common stock."

"My first, if rather vague, estimate of you was the correct one. You are
a good bit of a scoundrel, and, if I guess rightly, a would-be
blackmailer."

"You are talking at random, Mr. Grant. The levying of blackmail connotes
that the person bled desires that some discreditable, or dangerous, fact
should be concealed."

"Such is not my position."

"I--I wonder."

"I can relieve you of any oppressive doubt. I informed the police some
few hours ago that you have appeared already in a similar role."

"Oh, you did, did you?" snarled Ingerman, suddenly abandoning his pose,
and gazing at Grant with a curiously snakelike glint in his black eyes.

"Yes. It interested them, I fancied."

Grant was sure of his man now, and rather relieved that the battle of
wits was turning in his favor.

"So you have begun already to scheme your defense?"