"Don't you make too sure of that, old chap," said Arthur when he could speak, for he was so utterly astonished at the words Adrian had used, that he could only stare at him for a minute, while Molly looked at both of them, wondering whether she could have heard aright, and what it could mean.
"Shall I put you into a cab, and tell the man to drive you home?" asked Arthur, after a pause to consider what he had better do.
"I can get home without your help!" muttered Adrian.
"But this is not the way home," said Arthur. "You have come to the wrong end of the town. Let me walk back with you and put you on the road," said Arthur.
And he was not without hope that some stray word would give him a clue as to what had been done with the missing letter and cheque. So he took Adrian's arm to go back with him, while Molly, equally determined to see that her brother did not have another black eye for his pains, walked on the other side. And they were walking like this when all at once the half-drunken young fellow saw her for the first time, and immediately demanded that she should come and walk with him.
"Go home, Molly," whispered Arthur.
"Don't you go, Moll, for a cad and a thief," said Adrian.
"Look here! I'm not going to stand any of that nonsense," said Arthur. "If you don't keep a civil tongue in your head, I shall hand you over to the first policeman I meet, and—"
"But they can't prove anything against me, I tell you! If I had the cheque, you had the letter with the biggest bite! So your mouth should keep shut. Come here, Moll!" he cried.
"My sister shall not come near you," said Arthur sternly.