I must apologise to you, Mr.Lawley, for having detained you so long with these experiments." The lawyer had, in fact, been viewing the proceedings with hardly concealed impatience, and he now rose with evident relief that they were at an end.
"I have been highly interested," he said mendaciously, "though I confess I do not quite fathom your intentions.

And, by the way, I should like to have a few words with you on another matter, if Mr.Reuben would not mind waiting for me in the square just a few minutes." "Not at all," said Reuben, who was, I perceived, in no way deceived by the lawyer's pretence.

"Don't hurry on my account; my time is my own--at present." He held out his hand to Thorndyke, who grasped it cordially.
"Good-bye, Mr.Hornby," said the latter.

"Do not be unreasonably sanguine, but at the same time, do not lose heart.

Keep your wits about you and let me know at once if anything occurs to you that may have a bearing on the case." The young man then took his leave, and, as the door closed after him, Mr.Lawley turned towards Thorndyke.
"I thought I had better have a word with you alone," he said, "just to hear what line you propose to take up, for I confess that your attitude has puzzled me completely." "What line would you propose ?" asked Thorndyke.
"Well," said the lawyer, with a shrug of his shoulders, "the position seems to be this: our young friend has stolen a parcel of diamonds and has been found out; at least, that is how the matter presents itself to me." "That is not how it presents itself to me," said Thorndyke drily.