This house is closed, and will not be opened again until this affair is thoroughly investigated." In five minutes the house was deserted.
"How can I thank you, Mr.Thorndyke ?" Cotter, who was one of those who had seized Flash's arm, diverted his aim and searched him, said, when they got outside the house.

"You have saved my life.

It did not seem possible to me that you could succeed in showing that I was being cheated, and I had firmly resolved that, instead of allowing you to suffer loss, I would tomorrow morning make a clean breast of the whole affair to my father, as I had intended to have done this morning." "If I might advise you, Mr.Cotter, I should say, carry out your intention as far as making a clean breast of it is concerned.

Happily, you are free from debt, as those IOUs are worthless, for they were obtained from you by cheating, therefore you have no demand to make upon his purse.

The police will, I have no doubt, endeavor to keep this thing quiet, but your name may come out, and it would be far better that your father should hear this story from you than elsewhere; and your assurance that you will never touch a card again, and the heavy lesson that you have had, will doubtless induce him to look at the matter leniently.