"The motive," he continued, meeting Steel's eyes at last, with a new boldness in his own--"the motive is self-defence! There can be no doubt about it; there cannot be the slightest doubt that Minchin intended blackmailing this man, at least to the extent of his own indebtedness in the City of London." "Blackmailing him ?" There was a further change of voice and manner; and this time nothing was lost upon Charles Langholm.
"There cannot be the slightest doubt," he reiterated, "that Minchin was in possession of a secret concerning the man in my mind, which secret he was determined to use for his own ends." Steel sat motionless, his eyes upon the bottom of the boat.

It was absolutely impossible to read the lowered face; even when at length he raised it, and looked Langholm in the eyes once more, the natural inscrutability of the man was only more complete than ever.
"So that is your case!" said he.
And even his tone might have been inspired either by awe or by contempt, so truly rang the note between the two.
"I should be sorry to have to meet it," observed Langholm, "if I were he." "I should find out a little more," was the retort, "if I were you!" "And then ?" "Oh, then I should do my duty like a man--and take all the emoluments I could." The sneer was intolerable.

Langholm turned the color of brick.
"I shall!" said he through his mustache.

"I have consulted you; there will be no need to do so again.

I shall make a point of taking you at your word.