Part 85 (1/2)
”Heavens! what's all this?” cried Potts ”Where have you been unearthing this rubbish?”
”First,” said the stranger, without noticing Potts's exclamation, ”there are the letters to Thornton, Senior, twenty years ago, in which an attempt was made to obtain Colonel Despard's money for yourself One Clark, an accoery was at once detected Clark lary, was caught, and condemned to transportation He had been already out once before, and this time received a new brand in addition to the old ones”
Potts did not say a word, but sat stupefied
”Thornton, Junior, is connected with us, and his testiery He also was the one ent to the Cape of Good Hope, where he had the pleasure of s er
”Letters were sent to the Cape of Good Hope, orderingfrom the first attempt that a similar one would be made at the Cape, where the deceased had funds, sent his son there Young Thornton reached the place just before you did, and would have arrested you, but the proof was not sufficient”
”Aha!” cried Potts, grasping at this--”not sufficient proof! I should think not” His voice was husky and his elow, Higginson, & Co have informed me that there are parties now in communication with theeries were executed”
”It's a d----d infernal lie!” roared Potts, in a fresh burst of anger
”I only repeat what they state The man has already written out a staten it before a istrate This will be a death-warrant for your son; for Messrs
Bigelow, Higginson, & Co will have him arrested at once You are aware that he has no chance of escape The a”
”Proof!” cried Potts, desperately; ”ould believe any thing against a lish law is no respecter of persons,” said the stranger ”Rank goes for nothing But if it did make class distinctions, the witnesses about these docureat influence There is Thornton of Holby, and Colonel Henry Despard at the Cape of Good Hope, hoinson, & Co have had correspondence There are also others”
”It's all a lie!” exclaimed Potts, in a voice which was a little tre out papers?”
”His name is Philips; true name Lawton He tells a very extraordinary story; very extraordinary indeed”
The stranger's peculiar voice was now intensified in its odd, harsh intonations The effect on Potts was overwhel For a asped, at length
”Yes You sent him on business to Smithers & Co He has not yet returned He does not intend to, for he was found out by Messrs
Bigelow, Higginson, & Co, and you kno ti the truth from him As I am in a hurry, and you, too, ed accents, ”I will now coed papers involve an aeries, 93,500; Thornton papers, 5000; Bank of Good Hope, 4000; being in all 102,500 Messrs Bigelow, Higginson, & Co have instructed me to say that they will sell these papers to you at their face without charging interest They will hand them over to you and you can destroy thee must be dropped”
”Philips!” cried Potts ”I'll have that devil's blood!”
”That would be er, with a peculiar e Potts to the quick
”You appear to takeup and down
”Not at all I a out the instructions of others”
Potts suddenly stopped in his walk
”Have you all those papers about you?” he hissed