“And what is that?” cried Raikes, beginning to withdraw into himself as if he expected a sharp bargain.
“That you leave the details of the transaction in the hands of this gentleman,” answered the Sepoy, pointing to Gratz. “You had better consent,” he added as he analyzed the hesitation of the startled Raikes, “or I shall describe, with photographic minuteness, all that occurred in the few short moments of your visit.”
Raikes regarded Gratz helplessly.
During all this conversation the detective had been doing some rapid thinking and had decided upon his course, so nodding to Raikes, he said: “Leave the matter to me; I will restore your coin to you in the morning. See that neither of you leaves the house until then, or speak to a soul before I see you.”
Whatever objections may have been forming in the mind of the miser were quickly dissipated by a look from the Sepoy, and without another word Raikes and his nephew departed.
“Well,” inquired Gratz, when the two were again alone, “what have you to say to me that you do not want Raikes to hear?”
“You will know shortly,” replied the Sepoy after a few moments of reflection, with his eyes directed upon the handcuffs. “I do not have to resort to your elaborate reasoning to discover the nature of your profession. These,” holding up his hands, “are unmistakable.”
“Yes,” answered Gratz drily, “they require no trope or metaphor to illustrate their application.”
“However,” continued the Sepoy, “I have just listened to the deductions of an unusual acumen for analysis along abstract lines.”
Gratz bowed his acknowledgments.