'And who's the other letter from?' asked Moulder. 'But, dash my wigs, it's past six o'clock. Come, old girl, why don't you give us the tobacco and stuff?'
'It ain't far to fetch,' said Mrs. Moulder. And then she put the tobacco and 'stuff' upon the table.
'The other letter is from an enemy of mine,' said John Kenneby, speaking very solemnly; 'an enemy of mine, named Dockwrath, who lives at Hamworth. He's an attorney too.'
'Dockwrath!' said Moulder.
Mr. Kantwise said nothing, but he looked round over his shoulder at Kenneby, and then shut his eyes.
'That was the name of the man whom we left in the commercial room at the Bull,' said Snengkeld.
'He went out to Mason's at Groby Park that same day,' said Moulder.
'Then it's the same man,' said Kenneby; and there was as much solemnity in the tone of his voice as though the unravelment of all the mysteries of the iron mask was now about to take place. Mr. Kantwise still said nothing, but he also perceived that it was the same man.
'Let me tell you, John Kenneby,' said Moulder, with the air of one who understood well the subject that he was discussing, 'if they two be the same man, then the man who wrote that letter to you is as big a blackguard as there is from this to hisself.' And Mr. Moulder in the excitement of the moment puffed hard at his pipe, took a long pull at his drink, and dragged open his waistcoat. 'I don't know whether Kantwise has anything to say upon that subject,' added Moulder.
'Not a word at present,' said Kantwise. Mr. Kantwise was a very careful man, and usually calculated with accuracy the value which he might extract from any circumstance with reference to his own main chance. Mr. Dockwrath had not as yet paid him for the set of metallic furniture, and therefore he also might well have joined in that sweeping accusation; but it might be that by a judicious use of what he now heard he might obtain the payment of that little bill,—and perhaps other collateral advantages.
And then the letter from Dockwrath to Kenneby was brought forth and read. 'My dear John,' it began,—for the two had known each other when they were lads together,—and it went on to request Kenneby's attendance at Hamworth for the short space of a few hours,—'I want to have a little conversation with you about a matter of considerable interest to both of us; and as I cannot expect you to undertake expense I enclose a money order for thirty shillings.'
'He's in earnest at any rate,' said Mr. Moulder.
'No mistake about that,' said Snengkeld.
