“I’m glad you recognise that.”
“But I’m a fool no longer. You know that business about Voles?”
The man of affairs nodded.
“Well, what do you think of that?” He took Voles’ cheque from his pocket and laid it before the lawyer.
“Why, what is this?” said the other. “Eight thousand pounds.”
“He called on me for more blackmail,” replied Jones, “and I squeezed him, called in a—policeman, made him disgorge, and there’s his cheque. Do you, think he has money enough to meet it?”
“Oh, yes, he is very wealthy, but you told me distinctly he had only got a thousand out of you.”
Jones swore mentally. To take up the life and past of a rogue is bad, to take up the life and past of a weak-kneed and shifty man is almost worse.
“I told you wrong,” said he.
Collins suppressed a movement of irritation and disgust. He was used to dealing with Humanity.