I believe, once, he even struck him; only Hamilton declared he had been drinking, so he merely turned him out of the room.' I looked at Max sadly.

'This may be all true; but I cannot believe that he took that cheque.' 'The circumstantial evidence against him is very strong,' he replied quietly.

'You do not know what power a sudden temptation has over these weak natures: he was hard pressed, remember that; he had gambling debts, thanks to Edgar.

Fancy gambling debts at twenty! I have tried to take Miss Hamilton's view of the case, but I cannot bring myself to believe in his innocence.

Most likely he repented the moment he had done it, poor boy.