"Why do you trouble the man ?" he said.

"I had the cheque, and I sent him; I got the money.

Has any one denied it, that you should strive to drive a poor man like that beyond his wits ?" Then Mr.Soames and the manager of the bank showed what inquiry had been made as soon as the cheque came back from the London bank; how at first they had both thought that Mr.Crawley could of course explain the matter, and how he had explained it by a statement which was manifestly untrue.

Then there was evidence to prove that the cheque could not have been paid to him by Mr.Soames, and as this was given, Mr.Crawley shook his head and again became impatient.

"I erred in that," he exclaimed.