You may
speak freely before my friend, Mr. Knox. Simply tell me in as
few words as possible what led you to court arrest in that
manner."
"Right," replied Bampton, "I will." He half closed his eyes,
reflectively. "I was having tea in the Lyons' cafe, to which I
always go, last Monday afternoon about four o'clock, when a man
sat down facing me and got into conversation."
"Describe him!"
"He was a man rather above medium height. I should say about my
own build; dark, going gray. He had a neat moustache and a short
beard, and the look of a man who had travelled a lot. His skin
was very tanned, almost as deeply as yours, Mr. Harley. Not at
all the sort of chap that goes in there as a rule. After a while
he made an extraordinary proposal. At first I thought he was
joking, then when I grasped the idea that he was serious I
concluded he was mad. He asked me how much a year I earned, and
I told him Peters and Peters paid me 150 pounds. He said: 'I'll
give you a year's salary to knock a man's hat off!'"
As Bampton spoke the words he glanced at us with twinkling eyes,
but although for my own part I was merely amused, Harley's
expression had grown very stern.
"Of course, I laughed," continued Bampton, "but when the man drew
out a fat wallet and counted ten five-pound notes on the table I
began to think seriously about his proposal.
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