Frank waited calmly till James Bush held his offensive tongue.
“What d’you think the furniture of this house is worth?” he asked deliberately.
The question surprised James, but in a moment he replied.
“It’s a very different thing what a thing’s worth and what it’ll fetch. If it was sold by a man as knew his business, it might fetch—a hundred pounds.”
“Basil thought of giving it to your mother and sister—on the condition, of course, that nothing is said at the inquest.”
James burst into a shout of ironical laughter.
“You make me laugh. D’you think you can gag me by giving a houseful of furniture to my mother and sister?”
“I had no such exalted opinion of your disinterestedness,” smiled Frank icily. “I come to you now. It appears that you owe Basil a good deal of money. Can you pay it?”
“No.”
“Also it appears there was some difficulty with your accounts in your last place,”