The case still engages our attention, and must do so until we have
explored every possible channel of investigation. What I want from you,
Mr. Crofts, is any information that you can give me concerning Mr.
Minchin's financial position at the time of his death."
"It was bad," said Mr. Crofts, promptly; "about as bad as it could be.
He had one lucky flutter, and it would have been the ruin of him if he
had lived. He backed his luck for more than it was worth, and his luck
deserted him on the spot. Yes, poor old devil!" sighed the sympathetic
Crofts: "he thought he was going to make his pile out of hand, but in
another week he would have been a bankrupt."
"Had you known him long, Mr. Crofts?"
"Not six months; it was down at Brighton we met, quite by chance, and
got on talking about Westralians. It was I put him on to his one good
spec. His wife was with him at the time--couldn't stand the woman! She
was much too good for me and my missus, to say nothing of her own
husband. I remember one night on the pier--"
"I won't trouble you about Brighton, Mr. Crofts," Langholm interrupted,
as politely as he could. "Mr. Minchin was not afterwards a partner of
yours, was he?"
"Never; though I won't say he mightn't have been if things had panned
out differently, and he had gone back to Westralia with some capital.
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