Mr. Crotin laughed uproariously.
"Well, you've got me properly taped," he said admiringly, and the colonel agreed with a gesture.
"So you're interested in the criminal classes?"
Mr. Crotin waved a protesting hand.
"I'm not saying you're a member of the criminal classes, colonel," he said. "My friend Crewe here wouldn't think I would be so rude. Of course, I know the charge was all wrong."
"That's where you're mistaken," interrupted the colonel calmly; "it was all right."
"Eh?"
The man stared.
"The charge was perfectly sound," said the colonel, playing with his fruit knife; "for twenty years I have been making money by buying businesses at about a twentieth of their value and selling them again."
"But how——" began the other.