"Williams cashed one of those cheques," she said bitterly, with a venomous glance at her lord that told volumes.
Nicholas recognised in that moment that the prospect of an easy, well-clothed, well-fed, middle age at the expense of Mary Queen of Scots was out of the question.

He consoled himself to some small extent by borrowing ten pounds from brother William after dinner.
Mr.Crips employed himself on the following day reading up the murder case in back numbers of the Age in the newspaper annex of the Public Library.

He had to read a great deal of superfluous matter, and of many idle schemes and excursions on the part of the police before he came upon an illuminating little item in the shape of a casual bit of testimony from a friend of the dead man.

The friend explained that the diamond dealer always carried in a small leather bag in his breast pocket a fine assortment of paste brilliants, with the deliberate intention of deceiving thieves who might attack him at any time.

His idea was that the thieves would seize this case and make off without prosecuting a further search.