Kenly heard the connoisseur give a grunt of disgust, and he smiled. He could even hear the scratching of a pen on paper. Then Flurscheim's voice remarked sharply:
"Mind, I'll give nothing to any confederate in the robbery. If you have had anything to do with it and will make a clean breast of the matter, I'll do my best for you, but I'm not going to be blackmailed by any d——d thief."
The detective smiled again at the injured tone of Jessel's reply. "I'm a respectable man, Mr. Flurscheim, though I am a poor one, an' the hinformation 'as come to me quite unexpected like. If I was rich I'd be 'appy to tell you all I know for the cause of justice, but being only poor, I've my old age to think of."
"Well, I only warned you, that's all," grumbled Flurscheim.
"Which there was no need," answered Cornelius with dignity. "And there's another matter," he added, and now the detective could detect a note of anxiety in his voice. "There's them as is connected with this job that won't stick at nothing to get even with them as gives 'em away, if they has so much as a hint as to who done it. You'll have to give me your word of honour as a gentleman as you'll not so much as mention my name, or my life'll not be worth two pennorth of gin."
This time Flurscheim was silent a while before he replied.
"If I don't know your name it is not possible for me to mention it."
"You can easy find out," answered Jessel, "when I tell you what I have to tell you."
"I promise," replied Flurscheim shortly.
Jessel dropped his voice, but, low as it was, the detective's keen ears overheard every word of the information which was imparted. He was thunderstruck at the intelligence that a part of the stolen property was in the possession of Guy Hora. He could not conceive the motive which had prompted Jessel to disclose the fact, even if it were true. He wanted time to arrange his ideas on the subject. But he listened eagerly to every word that passed. He missed not a word of the long conversation that ensued when Jessel had imparted the information he possessed. He drank in all Flurscheim's questions and all the valet's answers, and was so anxious to lose nothing of what passed that he had barely time to cast the boat loose and drift astern when he heard them rise to leave the saloon. Still he presented a picture of perspiring innocence when he pulled up alongside to take his late lodger back to the quay.