He is a very eccentric character, many-sided as it were, and I never know which side will come uppermost." "He is your clerk and in your employ, is he not ?" "Agent, I think, would be a preferable term.

He is in my employ, he transacts certain business for me, but he does it in his own way, and comes and goes at his own discretion." "Where is he at present ?" "I have no idea, sir." "Did he leave for the city that night, or did he remain with you at the Riverside Hotel ?" "He was not with me at the hotel except for a few hours.

I have not the slightest idea from whence he came to see me, when he went away, or in what direction he went.

He was in haste to be excused as soon as our joint business was done, and I have not seen him since." "Did he have on dark glasses that day ?" "Not when I saw him, but that was only in my room at the hotel, and for a few moments in this house; he would have no need for them at either place." "Did he not accompany you from the hotel to Fair Oaks ?" "No, sir; we met here by prearrangement." "When do you expect to see your agent again ?" "Whenever he has any business reports to make," Hobson replied, with an exasperating smile; "but I have no idea when that will be.
He has other commissions to execute; he is in the employ of others besides myself, and transacts some business on his own account also." "I understand, Mr.Hobson, that you have repeatedly extorted money from Mr.Mainwaring by threatening to disclose facts in your possession regarding some questionable transaction." "No, sir; my action could not be termed extortion or blackmail within the meaning of the law, though to any one conversant with Mr.
Mainwaring's private correspondence it may have had that appearance.
I was, however, merely making an effort to collect what was legally due me.

Mr.Mainwaring, before leaving England, had voluntarily bound himself to pay me a certain sum upon the condition that I would not reveal certain transactions of considerably more than questionable character.