"It's a ghastly lot now I think of it.

I'm afraid I'm in for fifty thousand, if a cent." To his infinite astonishment and delight he was alternately hugged and tossed backwards and forwards between the two men quite in the fashion of the old days.

Breathless but laughing, he at length gasped out, "What does it all mean ?" "Tell him everything, Jim,--EVERYTHING," said Demorest quickly.
Stacy briefly related the story of the forgery, and then laid the letter and its copy before him.

But Barker only read the forgery.
"How could YOU, Stacy--one of the three partners of Heavy Tree--be deceived! Don't you see it's Phil's handwriting--but it isn't PHIL!" "But have you any idea WHO it is ?" said Stacy.
"Not me," said Barker, with widely opened eyes.

"You see it must be somebody whom we are familiar with.