"Yes, yes--no, I mean," he said, "no--ah--thank you. It was kind of you to call, inspector----"
"Superintendent," corrected the other good-humouredly.
"A thousand pardons, superintendent," said Mr. White hastily, "no, sir, nothing so unfortunate."
He shot a look half-fearful, half-resentful at the police officer.
"And how is your friend Doctor van Heerden?"
Mr. White twisted uncomfortably in his chair. Again his look of nervousness and apprehension.
"Mr.--ah--van Heerden is not a friend of mine," he said, "a business acquaintance," he sighed heavily, "just a business acquaintance."
The White he had known was not the White of to-day. The man looked older, his face was more heavily lined and his eyes were dark with weariness.
"I suppose he's a pretty shrewd fellow," he remarked carelessly. "You are interested in some of his concerns, aren't you?"
"Only one, only one," replied White sharply, "and I wish to Heaven----"
Again the older man wriggled in his chair.
"Doctor van Heerden is very clever," he said; "he has great schemes, in one of which I am--ah--financially interested. That is all--I have put money into his--ah--syndicate, without, of course, knowing the nature of the work which is being carried out. That I would impress upon you."
"You are a trusting investor," said the good-humoured McNorton.
"I am a child in matters of finance," admitted Mr. White, but added quickly, "except, of course, in so far as the finance of Punsonby's, which is one of the soundest business concerns in London, Mr. McNorton. We pay our dividends regularly and our balance sheets are a model for the industrial world."
"So I have heard," said McNorton dryly. "I am interested in syndicates, too. By the way, what is Doctor van Heerden's scheme?"
"I haven't the slightest idea," he confessed with a melancholy smile. "I suppose it is very foolish of me, but I have such faith in the doctor's genius that when he came to me and said: 'My dear White, I want you to invest a few thousand in one of my concerns,' I said: 'My dear doctor, here is my cheque, don't bother me about the details but send in my dividends regularly.' Ha! ha!"
His laugh was hollow, and would not have deceived a child of ten.
"So you invested £40,000----" began McNorton.