"I warned him, sir, that it would come to this—"
"That what would come to this?"
"His dealings with the Chinamen!"
"He had dealings with Chinamen?"
"He accidentally met a Chinaman at an East End gaming-house, a man he had known in 'Frisco—a man called Singapore Charlie—"
"What! Singapore Charlie!"
"Yes, sir, the same man that had a dope-shop, two years ago, down Ratcliffe way—"
"There was a fire—"
"But Singapore Charlie escaped, sir."