“Sit down and let’s talk things over quietly,” Roger advised, and Jefferson resumed his seat without a word.
Roger reviewed the situation rapidly in his mind.
“You see,” he began in conversational tones, “I know quite a lot of what’s been going on here, and in the circumstances I really have no alternative but to find out the rest. I admit that it places me in rather an awkward situation, but I can’t see that I can very well do anything else. Now what I suggest, Jefferson, is that we both put our cards on the table and talk the thing over as two men of the world. Do you agree?”
Jefferson frowned. “You don’t appear to give me much option, do you? Though what it has to do with you, I’m really hanged if I can see.”
It was on Roger’s lips to retort that Jefferson would very probably be hanged if he didn’t, but fortunately he was able to control himself.
“I should have thought that would have been obvious,” he said smoothly. “I can hardly leave things as they are, can I? Still, we’ll pass over that for the present. Now Stanworth was, as I know, a blackmailer, and there can be no doubt as to that affecting the situation in no small degree.”
“What situation?” Jefferson asked in puzzled tones.
Roger glanced at him shrewdly. “The situation,” he said firmly. “I think we both understand to what I am referring.”
“I’m blessed if I do,” Jefferson retorted.
“Of course if you take up that attitude——!” Roger said tentatively. “Still, perhaps it’s a little early to get down to brass tacks,” he added, after a moment’s pause. “We’ll confine ourselves to the other aspect for a time, shall we? Now Stanworth, I take it, had some definite hold over you. Would you mind telling me exactly what that was?”