So I said nothing, even when I heard through a roundabout channel on the morrow that he had sought an interview with the late secretary of the defunct company.
A few days later, for I may as well finish with this matter at once, the astonishing object of these inquiries was made clear to me.

One morning I found upon my table a whole pile of correspondence, at the sight of which I groaned, feeling sure that it must come from duns and be connected with that infernal mine.

Curiosity and a desire to face the worst, however, led me to open the first letter which as it happened proved to be from that very shareholder who had proposed a vote of confidence in me at the winding-up meeting.

By the time that it was finished my eyes were swimming and really I felt quite faint.

It ran: "Honoured Sir,--I knew that I was putting my money on the right horse when I said the other day that you were one of the straightest that ever ran.