"Well, it seems that Maunders' father, the Greek, Mavrocordato, you know, was rather a bad egg himself. He worried his wife--Mrs. Bedge's sister, that is--into her grave, and swindled his partner before he committed suicide."
"I never heard that before."
"No. Mrs. Bedge always kept it quiet for the boy's sake until she let it out to me in her grief yesterday. Mavrocordato--he took the English name of Maunders--bolted with a heap of his partner's money, and shot himself at Corfu, whither he was traced by detectives. Mrs. Bedge adopted the son, and did her best to train him up as an honest man. She tried her hardest, I'm certain, but what's bred in the bone, you know."
Colonel Towton folded his arms and stared straightly before him. "Poor devil. He was considerably handicapped by such a father. I wonder, Vernon, for how many of our deeds we are responsible, when you take heredity into consideration. Some sin because they like it, but many because they can't help it."
"Let us give Maunders the benefit of the doubt, and say that the sins of his father were visited on him. And, of course, we must not forget that Hest is an extremely clever and strong-minded man, who could, and did, easily control Maunders' weaker nature."
"There's something to be said there," assented the Colonel thoughtfully. "I daresay Hest entangled the poor wretch in crime before he well knew what he was about, and once committed he would be compelled to remain in the mud. But Hest himself, Vernon. What do you make of him?"
"I don't know enough about him to give an opinion. Perhaps when we see the sister she may tell us something."
"Oh, by the way, I received a letter from her two days ago, about which I intended to speak to you, Vernon. All this bother and worry put it out of my head. I left it at home, unfortunately, but I can tell you the gist of it."
Vernon looked interested. "What did she write about, and why to you?" "She wrote to me because she wants me to marry Ida."
"I really don't see what she has to do with that," remarked Vernon with a shrug; "for Ida is surely of an age to choose for herself."