That makes him a public offender directly, sir.' Arthur looked at the man himself, who only shook his head.
'This Doyce,' said Mr Meagles, 'is a smith and engineer.

He is not in a large way, but he is well known as a very ingenious man.

A dozen years ago, he perfects an invention (involving a very curious secret process) of great importance to his country and his fellow-creatures.

I won't say how much money it cost him, or how many years of his life he had been about it, but he brought it to perfection a dozen years ago.

Wasn't it a dozen ?' said Mr Meagles, addressing Doyce.