You have been complaining to me for a month past," he said speaking with deliberation, "about small sums of money being missing from the cashier's office." It was a bold thing to say, and in many ways a rash thing.

He was dependent for the success of his hastily-formed plan, not only upon Milburgh's guilt, but upon Milburgh's willingness to confess his guilt.
If the manager agreed to stand sponsor to this lie, he admitted his own peculations, and Tarling, to whom the turn of the conversation had at first been unintelligible, began dimly to see the drift it was taking.
"I have complained that sums of money have been missing for the past month ?" repeated Milburgh dully.
The smile had gone from his lips and eyes.

His face was haggard--he was a man at bay.
"That is what I said," said Lyne watching him.

"Isn't that the fact ?" There was a long pause, and presently Milburgh nodded.
"That is the fact, sir," he said in a low voice.
"And you have told me that you suspected Miss Rider of defalcations ?" Again the pause and again the man nodded.
"Do you hear ?" asked Lyne triumphantly.
"I hear," said Tarling quietly.

"Now what do you wish me to do?
Isn't this a matter for the police?
I mean the regular police." Lyne frowned.
"The case has to be prepared first," he said.