"If you will allow me, I will give you my own opinion when I have told you of all that passed between Mr. Nicholls and myself. Indeed, I am now coming to that very point."
"There you are, you see. You will not let the man finish, you really won't. I never saw anything like you women for interrupting--never in all my life."
This of course was Jack--who was, as usual, ignored.
Graham brought his story to an end.
"'There is one more question', I said, 'which I should like to ask you, Mr. Nicholls. Do you know any one of the name of Edward John Hurley?'
"'I ought to, seeing that some one of the name of Edward John Hurley is in our office at this moment, and has been in our office for something over a quarter of a century.'
"'Can I see him?'
"Mr. Nicholls touched a bell, and presently Mr. Hurley entered. I felt that his presence on the spot was a stroke of luck for which I had certainly been unprepared. He was a tall, thin, dignified looking man, with grey hair. He wore spectacles. Taking them off, he wiped them with his handkerchief before he replaced them on his nose to look at me.
"'Do you remember, Mr. Hurley,' I began, 'the 22nd of October, 1892?'
"'The 22nd of October, 1892?' He repeated my words, then replied to my question with another, 'May I inquire why you ask?'