‘Says he took it in the ordinary way of business from your manager Wrentham. Had no reason to doubt its genuineness till afterwards when he came to compare signatures. Then he called on me.’
‘Wrentham!’ Philip started to his feet. ‘Can the man have been cheating me all along?’
‘Looks like it.’
‘He ought to be here now. I’ll send for him’——
‘Stop! There’s more in the affair and more to be got out of it than we see at this minute. We have more than a week to work in. Let’s work.’
‘Willingly; but in this matter we have nothing more to do than repudiate the forgery, and leave Coutts and the police to settle with the forger.’
He felt bitter enough towards Coutts to have little regret for the loss which was about to fall on him. He would have felt still more bitter if he had known how eagerly Coutts had made use of this forged bill to endeavour to ingratiate himself into the place which Philip held in their uncle’s estimation.
Wrentham had assured Coutts, and given him what appeared to be conclusive evidence, that Shield had realised fabulous sums out of the diamond fields, and had it in his power to realise as much more if he chose to work the ground. The greedy eyes of Coutts Hadleigh had gleamed with wild fancies suggested by these disclosures of the man who had been for a time one of Shield’s London agents; and who must therefore be able to speak with certainty of his affairs; and the greedy brain had been for months busy devising schemes by which he might win the rich man’s esteem and confidence, with the prospect of a share, at least, of his possessions. This forged bill afforded him the opportunity he desired, and he made the most of it without committing himself to any definite charge against his brother.
The cleverest men are apt to judge others in some degree by reflection of their own natures, and so go wide of the mark. Coutts tried to reach the good-will of Mr Shield through his pocket; and he went wide of his mark. He was, however, at present happy in the idea that he had scored a bull’s-eye.
‘That all you see to do?’ queried Shield after a pause, during which he watched Philip.