won't smoke, and I won't sit down, thank you. Nor will you ask
me to do either when you've heard what I have to say."

"Really?" said he, lighting his own cigarette with one clear blue
eye upon me. "How do you know?"

"Because you'll probably show me the door," I cried bitterly;
"and you will be justified in doing it! But it's no use beating
about the bush. You know I dropped over two hundred just now?"

He nodded.

"I hadn't the money in my pocket."

"I remember."

"But I had my check-book, and I wrote each of you a check at that
desk."

"Well?"

"Not one of them was worth the paper it was written on, Raffles.
I am overdrawn already at my bank!"

"Surely only for the moment?"

"No. I have spent everything."

"But somebody told me you were so well off. I heard you had come
in for money?"