which leads me to believe they must stop
payment before the week is out."

The young man stared at him in silence.
He neither knew what to say, nor what to
think.

"And now," said his cousin, "tell me all that
took place, as nearly as you can remember it.
First of all, I suppose, Mr. Laurence Greatorex
kindly volunteered to explain the interest system
to you; and, having shown you how it was part
of the business of a banker to pay interest on
deposits, he proposed to take your money, and
allow you two and a half per cent?"

Saxon nodded.

"You referred the proposition to me; and Mr.
Greatorex was not best pleased to find that you
relied so much upon my judgment."

"How do you know that?" exclaimed Saxon.

"He then enlarged on the dangers of high
interest, and the troublesome nature of land
security; pointed out the advantages of the
deposit system; and ended by extracting your
promise for...how much?"

"Who can have told you all this?"

"Tell me first whether I am correct?"

"Word for word."

Mr. Trefalden leaned back in his chair and
laughed—a little soft, satisfied laugh, like an
audible smile.

"I have a familiar demon, Saxon," said he.
"His name is Experience; and he tells me a
great many more things than are dreamt of in
your philosophy. But you have not yet
answered my first question—how much?"

"He said it was a very bad plan to lock up
one's money—'lock up' was the phrase, I am
sure—and that I should find it so convenient to
be able to draw out whenever I chose. And
then...."

"And then you agreed with him, of course.
Go on."

"And then he said he supposed I would not
mind going to the extent of five hundred
thousand with their house, and...."

"Five hundred thousand! Had he the
incredible impudence to ask you for five hundred
thousand?"

"Indeed, cousin William, it seemed to me,
from the way in which he put it, that Mr.
Greatorex had only my interest in view."

"How probable!"

"He said that it could make no difference to
them; and that one person's thousands were no
more to them, in the way of business, than
another's."

"And you believed him?"

"Of course I believed him."

"And promised him the five hundred
thousand?"

"Yes."

"Then it is a promise that will have to be
broken, young man, that is all. Nay, don't look
so unhappy. I will take all the burden from
your shoulders. A lawyer can do these things
easily enough, and offend no one. Besides, no
man is bound to fling his money away with his
eyes open. If you were to pay in that five
hundred thousand pounds to-morrow morning,
it would all be in the pockets of Sir Samuel's
creditors before night. It would help the firm
to stave off the evil day, and you would most
likely get your two and a half per cent; but
I know that you would never see one farthing
of the principal again—and Laurence Greatorex
knows that I know it."

"But—but I have not told you quite all yet,"
stammered Saxon, whose face had been getting
graver and graver with every word that Mr.
Trefalden uttered. "I have given him a cheque
for half."

It was well for Mr. Trefalden that the shade
fell on him where he sat, and concealed the
storm that swept across his features at this
announcement. It came and went like a swift
shadow; but, practised master of himself as he
was, he could no more have controlled the
expression of his face at that moment than he
could have controlled a thunder-cloud up in the
heavens.

"You have given Mr. Greatorex a cheque for
two hundred and fifty thousand pounds?" he
said, after a momentary pause.

"I know it was very wrong—I know I ought
to have consulted you first!" exclaimed Saxon,
quite overwhelmed by the magnitude of his
error.

"Never mind that at present," replied the
lawyer, coldly. "The mischief is done, and we
have only to try if any of the money is recoverable.
When did you give it to him?"

"Just now—after dinner."

"To-day? After three o'clock?"

"Not an hour ago. We met at the club; he
asked me to dine with him...."

"And when you told him you were to see me
this evening, he got you to sign the cheque out
of hand!" interposed Mr. Trefalden, eagerly.
"Clever—very clever; but not quite clever
enough, for all that!"

Saying which, the lawyer seized paper and pen,
and began writing rapidly. Having scribbled
three or four lines, he pushed them across the
table, and said:

"Read that, and sign it."

It was an order upon the cashier and clerks of
Drummond's bank to refuse payment of all
cheques signed by Mr. Saxon Trefalden, until
further notice.

"But suppose," said Saxon, "that he has
cashed it already?"

"He can't cash it, you foolish boy, till the
bank opens to-morrow morning; and by that
time it will be too late. I shall instantly take a
cab, and go down with this paper to the private
house of the chief cashier; and, to make assurance
doubly sure, Keckwitch shall be at the
bank to-morrow morning when the doors open.
Lucky for you, my fine fellow, that you
committed this little folly after three o'clock in the
day!"