2
THE SCRAP BOOK, 171
XIX A TALL MAN IN GREY CLOTHES, 181
XX AT BAY, 191
XXI THE INTERRUPTED FLIGHT, 203
XXII THE HAND IN THE DARKNESS, 211
XXIII COMFORTABLE CAPTIVITY, 221
XXIV STRICT BUSINESS LINES, 231
XXV NO FURTHER EVIDENCE, 242
XXVI THE VIRTUES OF SUSPICION, 251
XXVII MR. WRAYTHWAITE OF WRAYE, 260
XXVIII PAGES FROM THE PAST, 269
XXIX WITHOUT THOUGHT OF CONSEQUENCES, 277
XXX COTHERSTONE, 283
XXXI THE BARRISTER'S FEE, 302
CHAPTER I
BLACKMAIL
Half way along the north side of the main street of Highmarket an ancient stone gateway, imposing enough to suggest that it was originally the entrance to some castellated mansion or manor house, gave access to a square yard, flanked about by equally ancient buildings. What those buildings had been used for in other days was not obvious to the casual and careless observer, but to the least observant their present use was obvious enough. Here were piles of timber from Norway; there were stacks of slate from Wales; here was marble from Aberdeen, and there cement from Portland: the old chambers of the grey buildings were filled to overflowing with all the things that go towards making a house--ironwork, zinc, lead, tiles, great coils of piping, stores of domestic appliances. And on a shining brass plate, set into the wall, just within the gateway, were deeply engraven the words: Mallalieu and Cotherstone, Builders and Contractors.
Whoever had walked into Mallalieu & Cotherstone's yard one October afternoon a few years ago would have seen Mallalieu and Cotherstone in person. The two partners had come out of their office and gone down the yard to inspect half a dozen new carts, just finished, and now drawn up in all the glory of fresh paint. Mallalieu had designed those carts himself, and he was now pointing out their advantages to Cotherstone, who was more