"Good heavens! what an idiot I have been not to have seen the connection before! Now I know why Gideon Hayle tried to lure me out of England with his magnificent offer.

Now I see why he set these roughs upon me.

It's all as plain as daylight!" "I am afraid I do not quite understand," said my companion in his turn.
"But it is quite evident to me that you know more of Hayle's past life than I do!" "I should think I did," I replied.

"By Jove, what a blackguard the man must be! He robbed his two partners of enormous wealth in China, left them in the hands of the Chinese to be tortured and maimed for life, and now that he knows that I am acting for them in order to recover their treasure, he endeavours to put me out of the way.

But you've not done it yet, Mr.Hayle," I continued, bringing my fist down with a bang upon the table, "and what's more, clever as you may be, you are not likely to accomplish such an end.