"You--you confounded scoundrel! you rascally thief! So I've caught you at last. I'll make very short work with _you_, you ungrateful villain."
Then he paused for a moment, and shaking him violently, added,--
"What have you to say for yourself, why I shouldn't hand you over at once to the police?"
Nothing could be more whimsically striking than the contrast between Juniper Graves' grand and jaunty bearing a moment before, and his present utter crawling abjectness. He became white with terror, and looked the very picture of impotent cowardice. But this was but for a minute; then his self-possession returned to him. He felt that, if his master gave him over immediately in charge to the police, everything was lost; but if he could only get a hearing for a few minutes, before any further step was taken, he was persuaded that he could manage to stem the torrent that was bearing against him, especially as, fortunately for him, Frank Oldfield and himself were alone. His first object, therefore, was to gain time.
"Oh, Mr Frank, Mr Frank!" he cried beseechingly, "spare me--spare me-- you don't know all--you're labouring under a great misapplication; if you only knew all, you'd think very indifferently of me."
"That's just what I do now," said the other, smiling in spite of himself. Juniper saw the smile. He was satisfied that his case was not hopeless.
"Pray, Mr Frank," he said humbly and softly, "pray do take your hand off my coat; there's no need, sir--I shan't try to escape, sir--I'll follow you as impressively as a lamb--only give me time, and I'll explain all."
"Indeed!" exclaimed Frank; "do you mean to tell me that you'll explain back my fifty pounds into my pocket again?"
"Yes, sir, and more besides, if you'll only be patient and hear me. Thank you, sir. If you'll just step in here, sir, I hope to be able to explain all to your satisfaction."
They entered a little office connected with a weighing-machine, which happened to be vacant at the time.
"Now, mind," said Frank Oldfield, when they were shut in alone, "I'll have a straightforward statement, without any prevarication, or I give you over at once into custody. If you can't clear yourself, and I don't see how you possibly can, there's the jail before you, the only place you're fit for."