Digital heart book

"Well now, and what did you think of Bellairs?" he
asked.
"Very little indeed," said I.
"I may tell you," continued the judge, "that to me the
employment of a fellow like that appears inexplicable.
I knew him: he knows me, too; he has often heard from
me in court; and I assure you the man is utterly blown
upon; it is not safe to trust him with a dollar, and
here we find him dealing up to fifty thousand. I can't
think who can have so trusted him, but I am very sure
it was a stranger in San Francisco."
"Some one for the owners, I suppose," said I.
"Surely not!" exclaimed the judge. "Owners in London
can have nothing to say to opium smuggled between Hong
Kong and San Francisco. I should rather fancy they
would be the last to hear of it--until the ship was
seized. No; I was thinking of the captain. But where
would he get the money--above all, after having laid
out so much to buy the stuff in China?--unless, indeed,
he were acting for some one in 'Frisco; and in that
case--here we go round again in the vicious circle--
Bellairs would not have been employed.


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