Mr. Taynton gave a sudden start, as if the significance of this had only
this moment dawned on him, as if he had not understood the first
statement. Then he seemed to collect himself.

"You can hardly do that," he said, "as I hold letters of yours which
imply such knowledge."

Mills smiled rather evilly.

"Ah, it is not worth while bluffing," he said. "I have never written such
a letter to you. You know it. Is it likely I should?"

Mr. Taynton apparently had no reply to this. But he had a question to
ask.

"Why are you taking up this hostile and threatening attitude?"

"I have not meant to be hostile, and I have certainly not threatened,"
replied Mills. "I have put before you, quite dispassionately I hope,
certain facts. Indeed I should say it was you who had threatened in the
matter of those letters, which, unhappily, have never existed at all. I
will proceed.

"Now what has been my part in this affair? I have observed you lost
money in speculations of which I disapproved, but you always knew best.
I have advanced money to you before now to tide over embarrassments that
would otherwise have been disastrous. By the exercise of diplomacy--or
lying--yesterday, I averted a very grave danger. I point out to you also
that there is nothing to implicate me in these--these fraudulent
employments of a client's money. So I ask, where I come in? What do I