"What I'm going to say now is for your benefit.
But these lawyers shall hear.

This old Wilchester business has been raked up--how, I don't know.

Now then, you shall all know the truth about that! I did two years--for what?
For being Mallalieu's catspaw!" Tallington suddenly began to drum his fingers on the blotting-pad which lay in front of him.

From this point he watched Cotherstone with an appearance of speculative interest which was not lost on Brereton.
"Ah!" he remarked quietly.

"You were Mallalieu's--or Mallows'-- catspaw?
That is--he was the really guilty party in the Wilchester affair, of Which that's an account ?" "Doesn't it say here that he was treasurer ?" retorted Cotherstone, laying his hand on the open scrap-book.