two speakers had made use of a phrase peculiar enough to serve as a clue to his identity. It was in answer to some parting threat of the older man, and will remind you of an expression uttered by yourself an hour or so ago. ‘Do you suppose I will let such a little fuss as that deter me?’ It was the cue to his speech, by which I intended to hunt out my man from amongst the rich, the trusted and the influential persons of this city, and when found, to hold him.’
“ ‘And you think you have done this?’ said I, too conscious of the possible net about my feet to be simply angry. ‘I know it,’ said he; ‘every word you have uttered since we have been here has made me more and more certain of the fact. I could swear to your voice, and as to your use of that telltale word, it was not till I thought to inquire of a certain wide-awake fellow downtown, who amongst our business men were in the habit of using that expression, and was told Mr. Sylvester of the Madison Bank, that I was enabled to track you. I know I have got my hand on my man at last and—’ He looked down at his threadbare coat and around at the tables with their smoking dishes, and left me to draw my own conclusion.
“Uncle, there are crises in life which no former experience teaches you how to meet. I had arrived at such a one. Perhaps you can understand me when I say I was well nigh appalled. Denial of what was imputed to me might be wisdom and might not. I felt the coil of a deadly serpent about me, and knew not whether it was best to struggle or to simply submit. The man noted the effect he had made and complacently folded his arms. He was of a nervous organization and possessed an eye like a hungry wolf, but he could wait. ‘This is a pretty story,’ said I at last, and I reject it altogether. ‘I am an honest man and have always been so; you will have to give up your hopes of making anything out of me.’ ‘Then you are willing,’ said he, ‘that I should repeat this story to one of the directors of your bank, whom I know?’