“You wish to see me, I understand, and you come from some bank, I believe?”
She spoke in a manner indicating that her visitor was a person of whose existence she had just become aware.
“Your husband has not informed you of the purport of my visit last night, Mrs. Swinton?” asked Mr. Barnby.
“He spoke of some silly blunder about checks. Why have you come to me this morning—at a time of sorrow? Surely your wretched business can wait?”
“It cannot wait,” replied Mr. Barnby, with growing coolness. He saw a terrified look in her eyes, 130 and his own sparkled with triumph. It was easier to settle matters of business with a woman in this mood than with a tearful mother.
“I shall be as brief as possible, Mrs. Swinton. I only come to ask you a plain question. Did you recently receive from your father, Mr. Herresford, a check for two dollars?”
“I—I did. Yes, I believe so. I can’t remember.”
“Did you receive one from him for two thousand dollars?”
“Why do you ask?”
“Because the check for two dollars appears to have been altered into two thousand.”