William Westall 'LIBRAHY OF THL U N I VLRSITY OF 1LLI NOIS W5Z\t w&%, i®m - c I TWO PINCHES OF SNUFF. BY WILLIAM WESTALL, AUTHOR OF " THE OLD FACTORY," " RED RYVINGTON," " LA. RET LOHEXGRIN," "RALPH NORBRECk's TRUST," ETC. IN THREE VOLUMES. VOL. I. Volition : WARD AND DOWNEY, 12, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN. 1886. [A// rights reserved.] LONDON : printed by gilbert and hivington, limited, st. john's sqttabe. ?£3 v. / TO ROBERT J. WOOD, A KINSMAN WHO IS MORE THAN KIND, THIS STORY IS FRATERNALLY 1 o ;* CD \> 00 r INSCRIBED. Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2010 with funding from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign http://www.archive.org/details/twopinchesofsnuf01west CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. PAGK Baldeh's Bank ...... 1 CHAPTER II. The Two Verelsts . . . . .14 CHAPTER III. The Forged Cheque ..... 33 CHAPTER IV. Mr. Scholes 43 CHAPTER V. The New Enterprise . . . . -54 CHAPTER VI. A Startling Suggestion . . . .07 CHAPTER VII. Herr Roth 85 CHAPTER VIII. Herr Roth's Family 98 vi Contents. CHAPTER IX. PA.GB Frau Roth's Trouble 115 CHAPTER X. Doctor Roydon 122 CHAPTER XI. Leah Staukova . . . . . .132 CHAPTER XII. Wilhelm Tell 150 CHAPTER XIII. On the River 163 CHAPTER XIV. Poor Helenchen ! 177 CHAPTER XV. Out of Tune 182 CHAPTER XVI. SlMILIA SlMILIBUS CURANTUR . . .194 CHAPTER XVII. A Poser 205 Contents. vii CHAPTER XVIII. PAGE Book Mad 214 CHAPTER XIX. Jack's New Friend . 22G CHAPTER XX. Taking Stock . . . . . .240 CHAPTER XXL Dr. Roydox goes on a Journey . . . 256 TWO PINCHES OF SNUFF. CHAPTER I. balder's bank. The last Friday of the month, the prin- cipal settling day in the Manchester cotton trade. Balder and Baxendale's bank has been crowded all the morning with pre- senters of cheques and lodgers of money, and for several hours the perspiring tellers have known no respite from their occupa- tion of shovelling s^old and counting notes. But towards one o'clock — the hour of "high 'change" for merchants, and of general refreshing for their men — the VOL. t. r, 2 Two P indies of Snuff. throng begins to thin ; then it almost melts away, and for the first time since ten o'clock Hector Verelst, the senior teller, has time to stick his pen behind his ear, and look round. Not that he ever allowed himself to get either flurried or hurried, for flurry and hurry lead to mis- takes, and Verelst did not make mistakes. The more eagerly people pressed up to the counter with their moneys, cheques, and what not, the easier he took things, the more rigidly checked credit notes, weighed his sovereigns, and reckoned up his notes. Now and then, when he received a suspi- cious cheque, he would slip leisurely aside to glance at a ledger or compare a signature. To the collectors and others, who were burning to despatch their business and be gone, Yerelst's coolness was sometimes almost too exasperating to be borne. Yet neither angry glances nor impatient Balder *s Bank. 3 exclamations had more effect on the deliberateness of his movements and the serenity of his manner than drops of water have on a duck's back. The more haste the less speed was the principle on which, in all matters of business, the chief teller invariably acted, and the excellence of his method was proved by the fact that, though he declined to be hurried, he could get through more work in a given time than any other man in Balder' s bank. It had never happened to him, moreover, either to honour a forced signature or an irregularly drawn cheque, or to pay one which, for any reason whatsoever, should have been "referred to the drawers," or roundly refused for want of " effects ;" and as he stands behind the counter, with his pen behind his ear, stretching his somewhat stiffened back, and rather wishing it was his dinner-time (1.30), b 2 4 Two P inches of Snuff. he knows that at the close of the day he will be the first to make out his account, and that it will balance to a fraction. As Verelst arrived at this satisfactory conclusion, a big, huge-limbed, heavy-faced young man, evidently a rustic, and, from the looks of him, a blacksmith, came up to the counter and presented a cheque, saying, at the same time, — " I'll tak' it i' sma' notes and govd, if yo' pleeuz, mayster." The senior teller, after glancing at the signature and referring to a book (the name being one he had not seen for a long time), looked at the obverse side of the document. " This cheque requires endorsement," he said, flipping it across the counter to the vouug: man. " Endorsement ! What may that mean, Baldens Bank, 5 mayster?" asked the countryman in surprise. " It is drawn to the order of Timothy Thorndyke, and before we can pay it Mr Thorndyke must put his name on the back — here ! " — placing his finger on the spot. " Oh, that's it, is it ? Gi'e me a pen and I'll put tli' name down reyt enough. Timothy Thorndyke is my fayther, an' I alius signs for him. He's an owd mon, and cannot write hissel'." " That would be committing forgery, my friend," said Verelst, quietly; "a highly penal offence." " Well, dall it ! write th' name yersell, then." " Then I should be forging." " What mun I do, then ? " " Get your father to sign it, and if he cannot write he must make his mark — 6 Two Pinches of Snuff . ' Timothy Thorndyke, his mark,' you know." " And do yo' mean to say as I mun go aw th' way back to Harrud, and me as has come o' porpus, and spent four and nine- pence on a ticket, and eighteen pence on a dinner as hasn't hoaf filled my belly ? Gi'e us th' brass, mon, baat (without) ony more bother, or, bithmon, I'll get o'er this bench und wallup thee, my lad," thundered the young giant in a voice that almost startled Yerelst out of his self-possession, made everybody else stare, and brought the head of the house from his sanctum in a remote part of the bank. " Bless me ! what is the matter ? " he exclaimed. " What is the matter, Hec- tor ? " Verelst explained. " I am very sorry, but we cannot pos- sibly pay this cheque without Mr. Timo- Balder s Bank. 7 thy Thorndyke's endorsement," said the banker courteously, yet very firmly. " You do not seem to be aware, my dear sir, that these words ' to order ' are a direction to us by the drawer to pay only against the order of the payee, signified by his en- dorsement — his backing of the cheque; and. the payee in this case being Mr. Timothy Thorndyke, we cannot honour this cheque without his signature. It is no fault of ours, but your own for not obtaining your father's endorsement." " But haven't I towel yo' — or, least- ways, that t'other chap, as taks it aw so dalled cool — as my fayther's bedridden and on his last legs, and I alius signs for him ? " "How are we to know that?' : asked, the banker, with asperity. " We cannot pretend, to be acquainted with the domes- tic arraDgements of everybody who comes 8 Two Pinches of Snuff. here with a cheque. All that we can do is to follow the plain directions of our cus- tomer, Mr. John Sharpies. Present the cheque with the name of Mr. Timothy Thorndyke on the back, and it will be paid without a question, except as to how you will take the money." " Well, that's a corker ! " began the young man, in his stentorian voice, and then, as if struck by a sudden thought, he quietly picked up his cheque, and walked ponderously out of the bank. " A rough diamond, that. I wonder what he will do — go back to Harwood, I suppose ; hard case though, but he'll know better another time : a useful lesson for him," observed Mr. Balder, as he moved off towards his own room. The next minute another man, who had been an amused spectator of the scene, advanced to the counter and also presented Balder s Bank. g a cheque. Xothing rustic in his appear- ance, for though quietly he was very well dressed, wore gold-rimmed spectacles, a broad-brimmed felt hat, had a good deal of hair on his face, and his manner was as composed as that of Yerelst himself. "How will you take it?" asked the latter. " Seventeen one hundreds, and the rest in small notes and gold. The chief teller opened a drawer, took therefrom a bundle of crisp-looking bank- notes, scooped a small pile of sovereigns into the scales, pushed the whole across the counter, and was just, according to his wont, casting a final glance at the cheque, to make quite sure that all was in order, when the stranger opened a gold snuff- box, and politely asked him to take a pinch. Kow, Yerelst had once carried a box of io Two Pinches of Snuff. his own, aucl though he had given up the habit as a regular thing:, he never refused a pinch when it was offered to him. In the present instance he took a big pinch, and, while doing so, observed, with some surprise, that the lid was ornamented with the ghastly device of a scull and cross- bones, inlaid in ivory and ebony, and an equally suggestive motto : Memento more. As the stranger returned the box into his pocket, Verelst put the snuff into his nose, with a result that surprised him even more than the skull and cross-bones had done, for he began to sneeze like mad ; sneezed till the tears ran down his cheeks; sneezed until he thought his head would come off. When, at last, the fit was over, and he had blown his nose and wiped his eyes, and could once more see, the stranger was gone. Balder s Bank. 1 1 " Never liacl such a pinch of snuff as that in all my life, " soliloquized the chief teller ; " wonder what it can be. It must be old rappee, with pepper and ground - glass in it, at the very least. What a nose that fellow must have ? I should like to ask him — Hallo ! here's our ' Harrud ' friend again. It is no use, you know. You heard what Mr. Balder said. We cannot pay that cheque without the en- dorsement." "What clo yo' caw that?" asked the fellow, throwing the cheque on the coun- ter with an air of triumnh. " Humph ! Have you endorsed this yourself, may I ask? " "What's that to yo'? It's drawn to Timothy Thorndyke's order, and that theer's Timothy Thorndyke's name, isn't it?" " And yours, too, I suppose ! You can- 1 2 Two Pinches of Snnft. not have gone to Harwood and back in ten minutes ! " " It's now't else. Com, gi'e us tli' brass, mon. Four tens, three fives, ten i' gowd, and two paands-worth o' silver." " Very well," said the chief teller, after a moment's hesitation. " It is not our business to distinguish between one Timothy Thorndyke and another. The cheque is in order. Here is your money." " To tell yo' th' honest truth," said the " Harruder," as he pocketed the cash, " my gradely name is Tummus, not Timothy ; but as I towd yo' just naa, I alius signs for my fayther. Good day to yo', 0\vd mon." " Xot as stupid as he looks, that fellow," observed Verelst to a brother teller, who had heard the colloquy; " he has had a glass of beer and forged his father's name in the Balder s Bank. 1 3 public round the corner. And now I think I'll go to my feed." So the chief teller went to the lavatory on the other side of the house, washed his hands and face and examined his nose, which was red and swollen, and felt very uncomfortable, especially when he blew it, and that was a good deal oftener than he liked. " Gad," he muttered, as he trimmed his whiskers, " that was a pinch of snuff, and no mistake. If it were dynamite it could not have been much worse. I wonder who that fellow can be ? " It was not the last time by a good many that Hector Yerelst wondered who that fellow could be. 14 Two Pinches of Snuff CHAPTER II. THE TWO YERELSTS. Verelst had not far to go to his " feed " — • only two or three streets away — the time allowed for refreshment at Balder' s bank on last Fridays being but short. In five minutes he reached his destination — Roach's eating and coffee house, a rather seedy-looking establishment in one of the narrowest and gloomiest of Manchester streets, and that is saying a good deal. It (the house, not the street) consisted of two large rooms, one upstairs and one down, the latter serving also as kitchen, and a small apartment devoted to smoking and chess. Verelst could well have afforded to dine in a more delectable locality ; but The Tzvo Verelsts. i 5 he had begun to take his midday meal at Eoach's when his means were small, and in his habits, if not in his ideas, he was strongly conseryatiye. The fact that he had done a thing once seemed to him a very good reason for doing it again. Eoach's, moreover, presented several decided advan- tages. His chops and steaks, besides being cheap, were always tender and cooked to a turn ; his coffee could not easily be sur- passed, and his cigars and malt liquors were as good as his mutton and beef. Verelst mounted to the upper room and took a chair, which, like every other chair in the apartment, was chained to one of the table lees — not that Roach feared his customers would walk off with his furniture, but the man had a passion for keeping everything in its place, and the shuffling of chairs, besides being abhorrent to his soul, made holes in his carpet. 1 6 Two Pinches of Snuff. The teller was hardly seated when a broad-set little man, whose rolled-up shirt sleeves displayed a pair of arms that a prize-fighter might have envied, appeared on the scene, tray in hand. "Steak, Mr. Verelst ? " " Chop, and a glass of bitter." " All rio'ht ! " and in three minutes the man in the shirt sleeves came back with chop and beer as ordered, and several other chops and beers ; for Roach, with the help of a stout wench, did all his own waiting, while his wife superintended in person the cooking of the viands. Not that he had any need to be so painfully industrious, for report said, and for once report did not exaggerate, that Roach was worth twenty thousand pounds ; his profits were estimated at two thousand a year ; he had a nice place in the country ; and he drove to business every morning in his The Two Verelsts. 1 7 brougham, "like any other swell." But Roach was an original, and if, as he once observed, it pleased him to work like a waiter and live like a gentleman — what was that to his customers, or anybody else ? With the exception of a few favour- ites, of whom Verelst was one, Roach was as sharp with his customers as if they had been his dependents, and perhaps they were in a sense, for, as he once took occasion to observe : " Grub is before money. I can do better without them than they can do without me." Until three o'clock, when business be^an to slacken, Roach would allow no man, as he put it, "to read over his feed;" for readers are apt to linger and forget that their places may be wanted by others. " This is an eating-house, not a reading- room," he would say, when a customer, ignorant of the rule, produced a news- VOL. I. 1 8 Two Pinches of Snuff . paper ; " tliere is a public next door." His answer to complaints was invariably, " Sorry you are not satisfied ; but this is a free country : you need not come unless you like. I did not ask you." Another rule of the establishment was not to supply vegetables. A diner, unaware or heedless of this peculiarity, sitting: near Verelst, was so ill-advised as to ask for potatoes. " Plenty at Shudehill Market ! " was the answer, whereupon those who heard it tittered, for " Roach's roasters," as they were called, amused all but their victims, and though his independence and plain speaking lost him an occasional customer, they gained him a character for eccentricity which served his turn better than the most saponaceous courtesy would have done. People went to Roach's because he was such a queer fellow — " quite an original, The Two Vcrelsts. 19 you know;" and when lie missed roasting anybody, they almost felt as if they had been taken in. "When Verelst was about half through with his chop, the man who had been sitting opposite to him took his departure, and another took his place. " Hallo, old man ! " said the new-comer, cordially. I thought I should find you here. How are you, and Alice and the young ones — how are they ? " "All, all right. You have not been here for a long time, I think ? " " Xo ; I don't much like your Mr. Roach ; I prefer a man who can keep a civil tongue in his head." " Roach is a very good fellow, though, blunt as he is. He does more for the poor than many a man who goes regu- larly to church and makes great profes- sions." c 2 20 Two Pinches of S miff. "I am glad to hear it. All the same, if he would either be a little less blunt, or invent a few new witticisms — his stock is ofettingf rather stale — this would be a pleasanter place to dine at. Besides, it is rather too far off for me. Will you have time for a smoke ? " " Just, if you won't be long." " Here's my steak. In ten minutes it will be a steak no longer, and then I'll join you in the den overhead, which Roach calls his smoking-room." " I'll wait until you have done ; I haven't had my cheese yet." The two men, though one was dark and the other light, were very much alike : both had the same well-cut features, the same broad forehead, straight nose, thick hair, and short, curly beard ; but while Hector Verelst's eyes were grey, his skin fair, and his hair almost red, Xorman had The Two Verelsts. 21 eyes of dark brown, a swarthy skin, and a black Lead and beard — differences which were probably due to the fact that, albeit sons of the same father, they were not children of the same mother. There was, moreover, a considerable dissimilarity in their ages and their expression, and like- wise, as might seem, in their characters and dispositions. Hector was a man of some thirty-six or thirty-seven years old, with a rather phlegmatic temperament and an impassive face, evidently given to chew the cud of reflection, and little prone, one would think, to leap before he looked, yet not wanting in will and energy withal. Norman (his name was John Norman, and his intimates generally called him Jack) was at least ten years younger than his half-brother ; tall and rather slightly built ; and judging by his quick, eager manner and mobile, expressive counte- 22 Two Pinches of Snuff . nance, possessed of a nervons tempera- ment and a faculty of ready apprehension. While Hector's dress was quiet and sober, almost to Quakerism, the younger man's habit was " costly as his purse could buy," and in the pose of his hat, the cut of his coat, and the nattiness of his boots, there was, perhaps, more than a suspicion of dandvism. Their father, who was a long time head- master of an old-fashioned grammar school, and a clergyman, though he held no posi- tion in the Church, after giving his sons the best education in his power, short of sending them to a university, had profited by his friendship with his old college chum, Mr. Balder, to get the elder into the bank and the younger into a Manchester shipping warehouse, and when he died left them a couple of thousand pounds apiece. Hector had been nearly twenty years in The Two Verelsts. 23 the bank, and, as the reader is aware, was now Balder, Baxendale, and Co.'s principal teller. Had he been less expert in his calling he might have had a still higher position, though not probably a higher salary, for the house, being of opinion that he was worth more at the counter than anywhere else, paid him accordingly, and he had the reputation of being about the smartest teller they had ever had or Manchester possessed. It had sometimes been suggested to Hector (who had saved money) that he might better himself by going into busi- ness on his own account, and he had received more than one eligible offer of partnership in promising enterprises. But all these and similar overtures he had hitherto refused, saving that his income being more than sufficient for his wants, his duties light, and his responsibilities 24 Two Pinches of Snuff, few, lie preferred to stay where lie was. But if Balclers ever gave him the sack he should uot take a second situation : he would set up for himself in something or other. " If you wait till Balder gives you the sack," said to him a friend on one of these occasions, " you may wait for ever. They know your value too well for that." " Well, I don't think it is very likely," answered Yerelst, not without a certain " proper pride " — and he was proud of his reputation and the confidence reposed in him by his employers. " Yet, there's no telling. My shop is a good one, it is true, but it is neither a freehold nor a sinecure, and there's nothing certain in this world but death and taxes." Norman, or, to call him by his more familiar name, Jack, had also risen in the world. After passing through pretty The Two Verelsts. 2 -0 nearly every grade in the warehouse of Mr. Isaac Tilbury, the great shipper, who was said to turn over half a million a month, and make a hundred thousand a year, he was now one of that gentleman's principal print buyers, at a salary of four hundred a year, and his prospects of advancement were considered highly promising. " Anything fresh at your place ? " asked John Xorman of Hector, when they had settled themselves, with their pipes and coffee, in a snug corner of the smoking- room, which, though small, was far from being uncomfortable, and certainly did not deserve the designation of " den " be- stowed upon it by the younger and rather supercilious Yerelst. " Nothing particular. As per usual — the perpetual give and take, you know. I sometimes wish I had an occupation 26 Two Pinches of Snuff . with rather more variety. It gets some- what monotonous when you are always behind a counter paying cheques and receiving money. I wish Balder would make me sub-manager." " May be he will when your legs fail you, or his brother or one of the Baxen- dales dies, say, in about half a century. Billy Balder is about the biggest skinflint in Manchester, and he looks it, too." " He has that name, I know, but he is not half as keen as people say, and does many a generous thing of which nobody ever hears. Anyhow, he has always behaved well to me, and if he does not give me a sub-manager's place he gives me a sub-manager's pay. All the same, he can be hard, and quite right too, for a banker has no business with bowels. If he is soft, ruin will be his portion. You heard about Hoskins, I suppose? ' The Two Verelsts, 27 "No, what about him? " 11 Got the sack on Tuesday for paying a forged cheque. He only came to the counter a few weeks since, and being young and inexperienced, and this his first slip, I thought it might have been over- looked." "Was it much?" "Ten pounds." "The old curmudgeon ! " " It was not the amount. Billv cared nothing; about the ten "pounds, for what- ever else he mav be, he is not mean. It was the principle of the thing, for he had let it be known — twelve months ago, when so many forged cheques were paid, and I must say some of our fellows were very careless just then — that the penalty of paying a forged cheque would be certain dismissal. A harsh rule, you may say, but it answered its purpose, and this case 28 Tzuo Pinches of Snuff. of Hoskins is the first we have had since. And in a bank, above all places, a rule once made should be rigidly enforced." " But it is so easy to pay forged cheques." " Very easy. On the other hand, nobody need pay a forged cheque if he takes his time and keeps his eyes open. If you have any doubt you have only to refer to your signature book, or consult one of the other fellows or one of the governors. And there is nearly always something in the manner of the man who presents a false cheque to excite suspicion. I always twig them, and once or twice, when I have been in momentary doubt, a single glance at the presenter's face, as I asked him c how he would take it,' has settled the question. I don't think I could pay a forged cheque. Anything fresh at your place ? " The Two Verelsts. 29 " Only that we are very busy. Packers working all night. And we are likely to be busier still, for Isaac has been operating largely in grey shirtings to-day; he booked orders for two hundred thousand on 'Change just now. " The market is going up, then." 11 Yes, it generally does when Isaac goes in." " Has Tilbury got orders for all these purchases, do you suppose r" " That I cannot tell you, it is not in my department, but I should rather think not. His way is to buy when the market begins to move, and then advise his clients to operate, and place his purchases at an advance." "In addition to his commision ? " " Of course. You surely don't suppose that Tilbury could make a hundred thou- sand ayear out of one per cent, commission? 30 Tivo Pinches of Smi.ff I'll tell you what it is, Hector," went on the young man, impetuously, " I don't like this business." " Why ? I always thought you did like it." " I like print buying, if that is what you mean. It is interesting ; there are variety and go in it, scope for the exercise of taste, and that. I mean, I don't like my situation, which is another way of saying I don't like Isaac. He is both a rogue and a brute ; he takes every advantage he can, salts his invoices, swindles his customers, and insults his employes." " A nice character, 'pon my word. But he looks it. He always reminds me of that character in one of Dickens' novels — what do you call him ? I cannot recall the name, but — " I know who you mean — Quilp. You are not the first, by a good many, to whom The Two Verelsts. 3 1 the same comparison has occurred, and it is a very apt one. When I was lower down the ladder, I came little in contact with Tilbury ; but now I have to do with him nearly every day, and the more I see of him the less I like him. We shall be having a row one of these days : I know we shall." " "What, has he insulted you ? " " Not exactly, and he had better not. If he does I shall kick him as sure as my name is Jack Yerelst, though he did make a hundred thousand last year," and the flash in the young fellow's eyes boded danger to Isaac Tilbury. "You are too impulsive, my boy. Be- member that four hundred a year is not to be picked up everywhere." " I know that, and the consideration has caused me to stand more rudeness than I like already. But one must draw the line 32 Two Pinches of Snuff* somewhere, and I draw it at insult. It makes my blood boil to see the way in which Tilbury treats some of the fellows, and they take it as quietly as so many sheep." " We must make you a banker, I can see," said the other, smiling ; " for keen as Balders may be, they treat us like gentlemen." "Xay, I should be paying a forged cheque, or something of that sort, and get sacked the first week." " Not after I had given you a few lessons," replied the other, complacently ; "it is as easy, with a little practice, to distinguish between one handwriting and another as between one face and another. But time is up : I must be going. Will you look us up on Sunday ? " " Certainly. Good-bye, old man." The Forged Cheque. $$ CHAPTER III. THE FORGED CHEQUE. 0$ the Tuesday but one after the {i last Friday," on which the reader was intro- duced to Hector Verelst, that gentleman appeared at Balder's bank, as he always did, in good time, and took his accustomed place at the counter, ready for the business of the day. He had just paid his first cheque and received his first deposit when one of the apprentices touched his arm and said that Mr. Balder " would like to speak to him for a minute." This was a sufficiently unusual summons to make Verelst wonder what it could VOL. I. D 34 Two Pinches of Snuff. portend, for the chief hardly ever invited an employe to a private interview except either to give him a reprimand or offer him pro- motion. A reprimand was, of course, out of the question, Hector being as uncon- scious of offence, though not as self- righteous, as the Pharisee of the parable ; promotion he had no reason to expect; and it was not the season for raising salaries. So he went thoughtfully, and not without a certain sense of anxiety, to Mr. Balder' s sanctum, at the other end of the building, a sort of glass box, where, albeit himself quite secluded, the head of the house, whenever it so pleased him, could survey the whole interior of the bank. Billy Balder, as most people profanely called him, was a man well on in the sixties, sparely built, erect in carriage, and attired when at business in a black swallow- tailed The Forged Cheque. 35 coat, tightly buttoned over his waistcoat, below which dangled a big seal at the end of a massive watch chain. His hair and mutton-chop whiskers were white, but his eyebrows were black, and the strong teeth, ruddy countenance, un wrinkled forehead, and keen grey eyes showed that, whatever might be his years, he was still vigorous and robust. When Verelst entered the sanctum, the chief had a cheque in his hand, and before him were two or three pass-books : his own, for the banker had several accounts — house account, farm account, estate ac- count, and so forth, against which he drew like any of his own customers. "Look at this cheque, Hector!" he said, without returning the former's greeting. The teller did so. It was the cheque for 1850Z. which he had cashed for the man d 2 2)6 Two Pinches of Smtff. with the snuff box on the previous last Friday " I don't understand — it seems to be in order," answered Verelst, with a per- plexed look, after minutely examining the document all over, from the date to the signature. "It would be but for one thing." " And that is— " " I never signed it," said Balder, sharply. " I thought you were an expert in handwriting, Hector ! " " Impossible ! " burst out Verelst, turn- ing very red, and feeling himself 2frow hot all over. This was the last tiling he had expected. " Impossible or not, this is not my signature. It is wonderfully well done, though ; I will say that. If I did not know that I never signed such a cheque I should be in doubt myself, and if I had The Forged Chcqtie. $7 been a teller, I am sure I should have paid it." ' " I see it all now ! " said Verelst, again scrutinizing the cheque and holding it up to the lisdit. " The former has used trac- iug-paper; this is almost a fac-simile of your signature. It has been done first with a pencil and then inked over with a pen. All the same, there are differences that I ought to have detected, for the signature is painted, not written. But I confess it : I was not on nry guard. Who could suppose anybody would have the cheek to forge your name, and you with- in call — looking on, as one might say, for you were at the counter two minutes before I paid the cheque ? Yes ; I see it all now. That snuff was doctored — " " "What do you mean, Hector ? WHiat snuff ? " " Why, just as I was taking a second 38 Two Pinches of Snuff. look at the cheque, as I always do, the rascal gave me a pinch of snuff that made me sneeze till all was blue, and before I had done, he was off." "What was he like ?" Verelst told him as well as he could. " A very queer business," said the banker, thoughtfully. "This is a dan- gerous fellow, Hector; he may forge other cheques. We must put the police on his track. I'll send for a detective at once. When he comes I will let you know. I don't see that we can do anything more for the present. But I have a duty — a painful duty — to perform ; all the more painful that I really do not think you are to blame, and — " " I know what you mean, Mr. Balder," said Yerelst, quickly. "I shall have to go. It is the rule, and I cannot expect you to make an exception in my favour." The Forged Cheque, 39 " Yes, it is the rule, and I am sorry now I made it. But after discharging Hoskins the other day I do not see how I can act otherwise. It is a bad job, both for you and ourselves, for you have served the house faithfully and well. However, we will behave as liberally as we can. You shall have your salary to the end of the year, and I will do my best to find you another place.' ' " Thank you very much, Mr. Balder ; but I do not think I shall take another place." " What will you do, then ? " " Start a bank of my own." " Start a bank of your own ! " almost shouted Balder, with a look of surprise that could hardly have been greater if the teller had announced his intention of starting a kingdom of his own — or a daily newspaper. 40 - Two Pinches of Smiff. " Yes ; I shall start a bank of roy own," repeated Verelst, quietly. " But, bless me, man, how much money have you ? " " Well, it is pretty nearly all in your bank. It is about as safe there as any- where, and the five per cent, you are good enough to allow on our balances is as good as one can get — with safety. About five thousand pounds, perhaps." " Five thousand pounds ! Start a bank with five thousand pounds ! Are you mad, Hector?" The rich banker looked upon five thousand pounds — except when it was a question of giving it, or losing as much by a bad debt — pretty much as ordinary men look upon twopence halfpenny. " I propose to begin in a very modest way, '■ Mr. Balder. I shall cash cheques, The Forged Cheque. 4 1 advise bills, change money, sell drafts, and so forth, for people who have no regular banking accounts, and whose business is not worth the notice of the larger esta- blishments. But I shall get as near them as possible. I would take a place next door to you if I could." " I said you were mad just now," observed the banker, the look of surprise giving place to one of quiet attention ; " but I begin to see that there is method in your madness, after all ; and when I think of it, my grandfather began business with not very much more than you have. You seem to have your plans cut and dried, Hector. You were surely not thinking of leaving us to start on your own account before this happened ? " and ]\Ir. Balder smiled sarcastically, for, despite the case in point he had just adduced, the idea of anybody beginning 42 Two Pinches of Snuff. a bank with five thousand pounds still seemed to him supremely absurd. " Not a bit of it. Only a casual remark made by my brother the other day set me thinking what I should do if, by any unex- pected chance, I were to lose my place — and, after all, it is what we least expect that generally happens — and I came to the conclusion that I would do as I have just told you." " I would think it over a little more, if I were you, though. You may easily burn your fingers. Five thousand pounds is a very nice thing for a clerk, but for a banker it is really nothing at all. How- ever, we can talk about it another time. Your father and I were old friends, and I should be sorry for you to make a mis- take. I will let you know when the detective comes." Mr. Scholes. 43 CHAPTER IV. MR. SCHOLES. Veeelst returned to his counter with rather mixed feelings. The prospective loss of his situation did not trouble him much. Ever since his last conversation with Jack the idea of starting a bank of his own had dwelt so much in his mind that he felt almost glad that destiny, or Providence, was doing for him what he would have been loth to do for himself — dissolving his connection with Balder' s bank. But the affair of the forged cheque touched him to the quick ; it hurt his professional pride, and was a stain on his business reputation. Ifc was all very well 44-- Two Pinches of Snuff. for the chief to say, and for himself to know, that the forgery was so adroitly executed that it would have deceived the very elect. The veriest tyro could detect a clumsy forgery ; he had boasted that he could " spot ' : any, and yet he allowed himself to be deceived by the first really clever counterfeit that came into his hands. How the other fellows would laugh ! They at least would not give him the benefit of extenuating circumstances. Enouodi for them that the hitherto immaculate senior teller had been taken in. Altogether Yerelst was terribly mortified, and he vowed that if ever he came across " that scoundrel" again, he would do a little lynching on his own private account before giving him in charge. "If it had not been for that pinch of snuff I do believe I should have twigged it, in spite of everything. Confound the Mr. Sc holes. 45 fellow ! ,! lie soliloquized, with a look of bitter angler that was seldom seen on his placid and powerful face, for Hector Verelst was not a wrathful man. Half an hour later he was recalled to the chiefs sanctum. " Here is the detective, Mr. Scholes," said the banker ; " he wants you to relate the facts about this forgery exactly as they occurred." "Exactly as they occurred," repeated the detective, a stout, florid, big-faced man, who looked, Yerelst thought, more like a cattle drover than a thief -taker. Verelst did as he was desired. " And now describe his appearance," said Scholes. But this the teller could only do vaguely. He saw so many people in the course of a day, and his mind was so much taken up with his cash and the rest, that he could not pretend to keep the 46 Two Pinches of Snuff. features of any one of them in his memory ten minutes, much less ten days. All that he could say was that, to the best of his recollection, the fellow wore a broad - brimmed hat and gold-rimmed spectacles, and had a good deal of hair on his face. " Would you recognize him if you saw him again ? " asked Scholes. " I believe I should," said Verelst ; " and I am quite sure that I should recognize his snuff-box." " That snuff-box may be an important piece of evidence," remarked the detective, with the air of a man conscious of uttering a weighty observation. " So it may if you can find it," said the banker, dryly ; " but before you can have the skin you must first kill the bear. " A bear cannot very well live without his skin, but a man can very well live with- out a snuff-box," answered Mr. Scholes, Mr. Scholes. 47 with a readiness which, showed that he was less dull than he looked. " If this man is a professional swindler and thief — and he has certainly not gone about this busi- ness like a bungler — the chances are that he has stolen the snuff-box, and if we could find out from whom, it might give us a clue, don't you see ? " " It would be much more likely to give us a clue if you could find out who stole it," said the banker, sharply. " That is what I want to get at," answered Scholes, whom Mr. Balder' s impatience did not appear in the least to disturb; "this snuff-box may be part proceeds of some great robbery, and we generally know who has been in at a big thing, though we cannot always convict. For instance, I know who plundered that jeweller's shop in Market Street the other day, but as the thieves got rid of the swag 4 S Two . Pinches of Sn tiff. immediately, and nobody peaches, I can do nothing. Now, I am disposed to think that the man who wrote this cheque, who- ever may have presented it — and always supposing the parties concerned are regular sharps — I am disposed to think that the man who wrote it was Jim the Penman." " Jim the Penman ! Who's he ? " " You might call him an expert in hand- writing," said the detective, with a smile. " He was once a lawyer in a good position, but got into trouble about a bit of paper, and after he served his time took to forg- ing for other folks. He can imitate your signature so cleverly that you would almost swear it was your own." "A very dangerous man; why don't you lock him up ? " " Cannot ; he knows a trick worth two of that, Jim does. Mere forging is no Mr. Scholes. 49 crime. It is uttering a cheque, or what not, with intent to defraud, that makes the felony. Bug Jim never utters : he only writes — for a consideration, of course, and a pretty stiff one too — and lets some- body else do the uttering. Whether he wrote this cheque or not, you may be sure of one thing : it was not he who pre- sented it. I'll bet, though, he knows who did." "Where does this rascally penman live ? " " London, of course. There wouldn't be scope for a man of his abilities in Manchester." " Well, Mr. Scholes, I am not a rich man," said Yerelst, " but if you succeed in finding this scoundrel — the man with the snuff-box I mean — I'll give you a hundred pounds with pleasure." " And I'll double it," put in the banker ; VOL. J. K 50 Two Pinches of Snuff. " that will be three hundred for you if you succeed, Mr. Scholes. I want this affair probing to the bottom. Forgers are dangerous people. " Well, I'll do my best, gentlemen, you may be sure of that, and I have an idea that I shall succeed in the end. You have the numbers of the notes, of course ? ' Verelst, who had anticipated this inquiry, handed him the particulars he required. " I fear the numbers won't help you much," interposed Mr. Balder, who did not seem to have much confidence in the detective's ability to unravel the mystery. " Those notes passed through twenty hands, and probably been cashed and cancelled by this time. You surely don't expect to find, that rascal's name and address on any of them, do you ? He is too clever to be caught in that way." Mr. Scholes. 51 " A single note might afford a clue, Mr. Balder — I don't mean to leave a stone unturned — and the cleverest rogues make mistakes sometimes. If they didn't we should never lag them." "I don't think you would," was the sarcastic and rather sneering answer. " Do you want the cheque ? " asked Verelst, who did not see that anything was to be gained by vexing the detective, albeit he did not seem over-sharp, and some of his observations were rather common- place. "Not at present; a copy will be enough." ""Well, I should like to have it, and keep it, if Mr. Balder will let me?" " By all means, if you like. But what for, Hector?" " So that, if I ever come across any writing resembling this in the body of the e 2 £&«*•*"" Htt 52 Two Pinches of Snuff. cheque, I may compare them. It is dis- guised, I daresay ; but a man can no more destroy the characteristics of his writing than of his features, and the thought has just struck me that the forger may be somebody we know, after all ; at any rate, somebody who is not ignorant of your affairs. Have you noticed that though the cheque is an open one it purports to have been paid to Copestone and Cropper ? " " That's nothing. Everybody knows that Copestone and Cropper are doing a big building job for me." " Everybody in Manchester ? " put in Scholes, with more briskness than he had shown before. " Still I don't think— however, I'll see Copestone and Cropper. They may be able to throw some light on it, and I'll go to London and see Jim the Penman. I laresay if Mr. Balder will stand a few Jlr. Sc holes. 53 pounds I may persuade him to tell me whether he penned this cheque." <; Certainly, as much as you like. Get him to tell you whom he wrote it for if you can. Offer him a hundred pounds." " He would not do that for any money, Mr. Balder. It might be as much as his life was worth, and he would certainly lose his living. Besides, we couldn't convict ; no jury would believe him on his oath." 54 Two Pinches of Snnff. CHAPTER Y. THE NEW ENTERPRISE. " I don't think that fellow will find much out," said the banker, when the detective was gone. " Oh, I don't know ! " answered Verelst, good-naturedly ; " he may be sharper than he looks." " It is to be hoped so ; for there's nothing sharp either in his manner or appearance. However, I suppose there must be some- thing in him, or he would not be a de- tective." " Is it not possible that his slowness may be assumed ? " "Why?" The New Enterprise. 55 " To throw people off their guard ; and he is very observant." " I never thought of that. But in my opiuion he would not succeed in this business if he were ten times as observant. Too long a time has elapsed. All the traces must be pretty well rubbed out, and, as likely as not, the fellow is in America by now. But enough of that for the present. I have been thinking over this project of yours, Hector, and though your capital is so absurdly small, I daresay you may make something of it, if you mind what you are about. And you are not a sanguine man. No sanguine man should be a banker, or anything else in the way of business. I never trust sanguine men, and don't you, Hector. You will not do much in overdrafts, I suppose ? " " Nothing, Mr. Balder." " Right. And in bills?" 56 Two Pinches oj Snuff. U I sliall do a little. But in small amounts, such as would not be worth your notice, and only on two good names." " Right again. Never take a one-legged bill. We are obliged to do it sometimes, though. Twenty, thirty, and fifty pounds, and so on, I suppose ? " " Yes, and ten; why not? The risk is less, and the rate of profit the same — more even." " Ri^ht a grain. You have learnt the lesson of safe banking better than I gave you credit for, Hector. I daresay there is a class of little busiuess of that sort quite as safe as anything on a larger scale. But always remember this, that whatever rate of discount you charge, you cannot make money out of bad bills." " I shall not take bad bills at any price, if I know it, Mr. Balder." "I am glad to hear you say so. Be The New Enterprise, 57 sure you stick to your text. And, look here. I will do you a good turn. You may want some of these bills re-dis- counting. I'll do them for you at — shall we say one per cent, above bank rate and an eighth commission ? You can afford that. These small men think nothing of paying ten per cent, and a quarter com- mission, or half even." Verelst smiled. If the chief liked any- thin o* better than making a commission, it was killing two birds with one stone — placing a man under an obligation, and turning an honest penny by him at the same time. " Thank you, Mr. Balder," he said ; " I mean to keep an account with the house, of course, and whenever I want any dis- counts, I shall bring my bills here, equally of course." It was well worth his while to be on 58 Two Pinches of S miff. good terms with Balder and Baxendale, who, by speaking well or ill of him, and in other ways, had it in their power either to help him effectively or to put many ob- stacles in his path. " Good. I wish you luck. If it were only for your father's sake I would throw everything in your way I could. And the house respects you, Hector — the house respects you. Be cautious, and I think you may get on, though you have only five thousand pounds." Mr. Balder was as good as his word. From the rivalry of a man with only five thousand pounds the great banking house had nothing to fear, and when, a month later, Verelst opened an office on the other side of the street, they both gave him a good word and sent him an occasional customer. Balders made it a rule neither to cash cheques (other than their own) nor The New Enterprise, 59 advise bills for people who did not keep regular accounts with them, and the clerks at the counter were instructed, when business of this sort was offered, to refer the applicants to Mr. Yerelst " over the way," — casual transactions being precisely the sort of thing Hector wanted, and all which, at the outset, he was likely to get. One of his first customers was Eoach, the restaurant keeper. " You have taken your snack a long time at my house, Mr. Yerelst," he said, gravely, " and as regular as a clock. I don't know anything about your capital, but I can trust a man as is as regular in his eating as you are, whether he has much or little. You shall have my account, and it is not a bad one. I turn over more money than some folks as make a deal bigger show; I make a rule never to have less than five hundred pounds to my credit, and 60 Two Pi7iches of Smiff. sometimes, when I am looking out for an investment, I put a thousand pounds to a special deposit account. What do you say ? " Yerelst naturally said " Yes," and some- thing more, for he was as much touched by this proof of Roach's confidence as surprised by his long speech. It was the first time he had heard the man utter more than a dozen consecutive words. Altogether Verelst was succeeding beyond his expectations. Before he had been at work three months, he and his single assistant, Hoskins (like himself discharged for paying a counterfeit cheque) had almost as much business as they could cope with, and though some of it was not particularly profitable (Verelst wisely preferring small gains to great risks), the result of his first quarter's transactions exceeded his hopes. He would have been satisfied if he had The New Enterprise, 61 only covered his expenses, and his profits not alone equalled the salary he had re- ceived from Balder and Baxendale, but went on increasing month by month. Mr. Balder (to whom he showed his balance sheet) seemed both pleased and surprised. il Gad ! if vou 20 on in this wav, Hector, I shall begin to be jealous of you. But don't be too much lifted up. A single bad debt would swallow up the profits of six months in five minutes." And then he offered Hector an over- draft. " If ever you want a thousand pounds or two," he said, as they shook hands, " you have only to speak." Yerelst thanked him, of course, but without any intention of profiting by the offer. He was a banker himself, though a 3 o small one, and it would never do for him 62 Two Pinches of Snuff. to be in the power of another banker, even of one so much above him and such a good friend as Mr. Balder. He remem- bered, too, that it was only now, when his success seemed almost assured, that the shrewd old banker had offered him any material help beyond discounting bills bearing two or three names in addition to his own. At the moment, moreover, he had no need of money, his deposits being almost greater than he could profitably employ, for his position in B alder's bank had made him widely known, and his un- failing courtesy and aptitude for affairs won him friends and brought him cus- tomers. In one respect, however, he was deficient; he knew next to nothing of foreign exchanges and foreign securities, and for this reason had several times been compelled to refuse business which, though he believed it to be sound, he had not The New Enterprise. 63 sufficient confidence in his judgment to accept. iC You should have a sharp German clerk who understands these things," said to him one day a German merchant who wanted a temporary advance on the municipal bonds of a German town, as to the value of which Verelst knew abso- lutely nothing, and had no means, without a good deal of trouble, of getting to know. But, as it seemed to him, the remedy proposed by his customer would be worse than the disease. He was far too cautious a man to place himself, blindfold, in the hands of a foreign clerk, whose capacity and discretion he would be obliged to take entirely on trust. The proposal, never- theless, suggested an idea which, as the sequel will show, was " big with fate." " Why," he thought, " shouldn't I send 64 Two Pinches of Snuff. Jack to the Continent to pick up a know- ledge of foreign banking and exchange business, and then take him into partner- ship ? He is a sharp fellow, and would be an apt scholar, and he is very sick of Isaac Tilbury." On general grounds, moreover, a part- ner was desirable. Hoskins, though all very well as a subordinate, had not much of a headpiece, and Hector trembled to think what would become of his promising business if he were to fall ill for a week or two. And he could not afford to employ an experienced manager. His salary would absorb the lion's share of the profits. So Jack was sounded, and, as Hector expected, the idea liked him. " There is nothing I should like better than to throw in with you, old man," said the younger brother, " unless, perhaps, to The New Enterprise. 65 kick old Isaac down his own stairs. -And I shall be delighted to spend a few months on the Continent. TThere do yon think I had better go ? " " Germany. I have several German customers, and am likely to have more, I think, but not a sino-le Frenchman has been in the place since I started. The French are short of go, and there are so few of them here that their business is hardly wcrth cultivating." " I am o*lad of that — I mean, that you have fixed on Germany, for we were not taught colloquial French at school ; but my literary knowledge of German has been improved by occasional talks with some of the German fellows at Tilbury's, and, with a little practice, I could get along first-rate. What part had I better go to, do you think ? '' " Cologne, or Hamburg, or Coburg, or VOL. I. F 66 Two Pinches of Snuff. one of those places, I suppose," said Hector, Iris ideas of the relative import- ance of German towns being somewhat hazy. " If we can get you into a respect- able bank I don't think it much matters where it is. We must inquire." A Startling Suggestion. 67 CHAPTER VI. A STAETLIXG SUGGESTION. The brothers had no difficulty in coming to terms. It was agreed that Jack should put his father's legacy and his savings — amounting in all to some 2500/. — into the business, and (after his return from the Continent) take a third share of the profits, drawing meanwhile whatever he might require for his personal expenses, which, they reckoned, should not much exceed 200/. a year. The matter being arranged, it occurred to Hector that there would be no harm in mentioning it to Mr. Balder. There is no subtler form of flattery than to ask a man's f 2 68 Two Pinches of Snuff. advice, even if you don't intend to follow it; and the old banker not only liked to be consulted, but his observations were nearly always worth listening to, especially by a man like Yerelst, who regarded him as shrewdness personified, and was anxious to tread in his footsteps. " You are doing right to take your brother into partnership," said Mr. Balder, pushing his spectacles up on his forehead, a way he had when talking. " He has a head on his shoulders, and his money will add fifty per cent, to your capital. Besides, a banker without partners is not safe. He may die, and then people cannot get their money until his will is proved, which might easily stump some of his customers. But as for this foreign business, I cannot say I much like it — for the same reason that you have not touched it — because I don't understand foreign business. And A Startling Suggestion. 69 you are quite right ; a banker should be both cautious and suspicious, very conservative, and easily frightened. How- ever, if your brother goes to Germany and gets properly posted up, you may, perhaps, turn an honest penny in that way. Where will you send him ? " " That remains to be decided. Coblentz, or Hamburg, or Coburg, or one of those places, I suppose." " Xo, don't. Send him to Dresden. Now, I'll tell you what I'll do for you. I'll write to my cousin, Balder Roy don. He lives at Dresden, and has a good deal of influence. I'll get him to speak to his bankers there, and ask them to let your brother have the run of their place for a few months. I am sure they will. They are a very respectable firm — once cashed a draft for me when I was travelling in Germany. The name is — let me see, yes 70 Two Pinches of Snuff. — Roth and Son. Yes, that is it — Roth and Son. Shall I write to Mr. Roydon?" " You are very kind, Mr. Balder. I shall be glad if you will." " Good. The letter shall be written to- day. A queer fellow, my cousin. He has seen more of the world, Hector, than you and I put together ; but he never made any money — unless he is making some now." " He is in business, then P " " Not exactly, unless you call being a bibliophile — collecting old books — a busi- ness. He took a good degree at Oxford, and went into the Church, but not liking that, he went into medicine. And then he took to travelling. We lost sight of him for years together one while, and thought he was dead. He has been pretty nearly everywhere, I think, and knows no end of languages. He saw a good deal of service A Startling Suggestion. 71 in the Southern Army during the Ameri- can Civil War. Xow, as I say, he has taken to collecting books, and lives at Dresden. He gives any price for them, but sometimes picks up a book for a few shillings which he says is worth as many pounds ; but, as he never sells any, that is rather open to doubt, I should say. I suppose he will be having a big auction one of these days. In my opinion he is rather mad. I cannot understand a man devoting his life to the collection of old books. However, he is very clever, there is no denying that, and if Jack goes to Dresden, I am sure he will do what he can for him." " And I see no reason why he should not go, if these people — Roth and Son — are willing. It's a fine chance, and I am much obliged to you for putting it in our way, Mr. Balder." 72 Two P incites of Snuff. u Not at all, Hector; not at all," returned the banker, pleasantly — not meaning thereby, as the words might seem to imply, to cast a doubt on Yerelst's sincerity, but that there was no reason why, for so slight a service, he should consider himself under any particular obligation. " No more light on that affair, Hector. This second fellow — what's his name r "Rooter?" " Yes, Rooter. Well, he seems no more able to unravel the knot than the other. But he is a good deal sharper. I will say that for him. Perhaps if the case had been put in his hands at first he 'might have done something." " I doubt it, Mr. Balder ; that rascal — confound him — took his measures too well." " Yes, he is a clever scoundrel, an A Startling Suggestion. J 3 exception to the rule, that a rogue is generally a fool, eh ? I should like to know who he is, if only to satisfy my curiosity, for I am disposed to think now that the swindle was 'put up,' as Rooter says, here in Manchester, and the actual forger, if not the presenter, may be somebody we all know." " I wish I knew either of them," said Verelst, warmly, for he was as bitter as ever against the unknown swindler by whom he had been so cleverly victimized. " I wish you did, but I fear there is no chance, after all these months, of the mystery being solved — not the least." " I am quite of your opinion, Mr. Balder, but there is no telling. This Rooter seems to be a smart fellow, and most of the notes are still out." " And may be for years. But what can you do with notes when they have passed 74 Two Pinches of Snuff. through a number of hands — above all, when they come from the Continent, as these have clone ? " whereupon the banker dropped his spectacles on his nose to signify that the interview was at an end, and Yerelst acted promptly on the hint. Mr. Balder had conceived so strong: a prejudice against Scholes — albeit in his own line the latter was a very efficient officer — and was so dissatisfied with the way in which the Manchester detective conducted the investigation, that he had got a man down from Scotland Yard, and placed the matter in his hands ; as yet, however, without result, for albeit several of the notes received by the forger had been presented at the Bank of England, none of them could be traced to anybody who was able to throw light on the mystery. A few davs after his conversation with Yerelst, Mr. Balder received a visit from A Startling Suggestion. 75 Rooter, a dark-complexioned, wiry little man, with a closely cropped head, a hair- less face, keen dark eves, and a quick, nervous manner. " "Well, Rooter," said the banker, with the usual uplifting of his spectacles, " have you anything to report ? " "Not much, sir. I have come more to ask a question than to give information. "Well, what is it?" said Mr. Balder, seeing: that the other hesitated. u Well, it is rather a delicate question. It relates to an opinion I have lately formed, that somebody very closely connected with you had a hand in this business." " Bless me, Rooter ; you surely don't mean a member of my family ? " exclaimed the banker, with a look of dismay. " Oh, dear, no ! I mean somebody in vour bank — at least, who was in vour bank. 7 6 Two Pinches of Snuff > But it is only an idea I have formed. I cannot say yet that I have any proofs, and if I mention a name yon must not be offended. I make no charge, and I shall mention it to nobody else. I should not name it even to you if I did not think you might, perhaps, help me to a clue." " Well, speak out. You may trust to my discretion." " You will not take it amiss." ' ' On the contrary, I shall feel obliged for your frankness. Speak out, if you please." " Well, the party I mean is Mr.Verelst ! " " Yerelst ! Nonsense, man; why, it was he who paid the cheque. I have known him since he was a boy. His father was one of my oldest friends," exclaimed the banker, still more astounded than be- fore, and not a little indignant. The mere suggestion that Yerelst could be the forger seemed an insult to his understanding. A Startling Suggestion. 77 "I am sorry you are vexed, sir," said 4/1/ 1 * the detective, quietly ; "I feared you would be, but you told me to speak out, and, as I said just now, I accuse nobody. I have merely a suspicion -which as yet I am unable to verify. But if you desire to drop the investigation, of course — " " Xot in the least," interposed Mr. Balder, hastily. " I am now more anxious to bottom it than ever. But I really cannot see what grounds you have for suspecting Verelst. It seems to me about the most far-fetched theory you could suggest." " Well, just consider, for a moment, the facts of the case, Mr. Balder. To besrin with, the forger must have known that you kept two or three accounts, and that the estate account is the one against which you have lately been drawing most heavily and frequently. Nobody knew this better than J 8 Two Pinches of Snuff. Mr. Yerelst ; and he, the sharpest teller you had, an expert in handwriting, who never paid a forged cheque before, pays this just before he starts a business of his own in which 1800/. would be very useful to him. We know that Jim the Pen- man had no hand in it : Scholes ascertained that ; and I don't know who else could have, except Mr. Verelst. Then he asked that he might keep the cheque in his possession, and he has it now — at least, I suppose so ; and I have just traced the last note that was presented at the Bank of England to his bank. I don't know what your opinion may be, but I look upon these as suspicious circumstances." The banker looked grave, and for two or three minutes he made no answer. He had seen too much of the seamy side of human nature, and was too cynical by nature and suspicious by habit, to oppose A Startling Suggestion. 79 to the detective's theory an assertion of his implicit confidence in Verelst's in- tegrity. Though he did not think that Hector was capable of such a villainy as that imputed to him, he did not know, as a matter of fact, that he was not. People whom everybody deemed incapable of going wrong went wrong every day. So might any one : his own partners ; his own brother, even. There were depths in all men's natures which even themselves had not sounded. So, ismorinsr for the moment the confidence he had always entertained in Yerelst's honestv, he ad- dressed himself to the facts as they had been put by Hooter. " I think you are wrong, Mr. Rooter," he said. " All the facts you have set forth are compatible with Yerelst's inno- cence, while there are some, as it appears to me, quite incompatible with his guilt. 8o Two Pinches of Smiff. He is not the only one, by a good many, who knows that I have several accounts, and that my estate account has just lately been the most active. A cheque drawn by me is as good as a bank-note anywhere, and passes as readily from hand to hand. I have known cheques of mine to be in circulation for a month. The fact that Jim the Penman did not forge the cheque only proves that there is somebody else, equally clever, whom you don't know. Moreover, at that very time Yerelst had above 5000/. to his credit in our books, and, according to my experience, forgers are always professional thieves or people who are in straits for money. Yerelst was neither. His desiring to keep the cheque was quite natural, while, as for the note you mention, there is no reason to suppose that it did not come into his hands in the regular course of business." A Start lino- Suggestion. 81