Saxon signed the paper somewhat reluctantly,
and Mr. Trefalden put it into his pocket-
book.

"Our business conference must wait," said
he, "till this affair is settled. Shall you be at
home and alone to-morrow at twelve, if I come
up for an hour's talk?"

"I will be at home and alone, of course,"
replied Saxon; "but I am going down into Surrey
by the three o'clock express."

"To Castletowers?"

"Yes—for a week or ten days."

Mr. Trefalden hesitated.

"What I have to say to you must be said
quietly and thoroughly," observed he, musingly.
"And if you are very stupid indeed, and want a
great deal of explanation..."

"Which is quite certain!" interrupted Saxon,
laughing.

"Which I am afraid is quite certain—an hour
will not be enough."

"Will you come at eleven?"

Mr. Trefalden took up a manuscript book,
and examined one or two consecutive pages
before replying.

"I will not come at all," he said, closing it
decisively, and taking up his hat. "I will run
down to you at Castletowers instead, on Thursday
morning. The entries in my engagement-book
show nothing of great importance for that day,
and I know the Earl will be pleased to receive
me. I believe I can even manage to dine there,
and return by the last train at ten."

"That is good!'" exclaimed Saxon, heartily;
"and a day out of town will invigorate you for a
month."

So it was settled; and Mr. Trefalden turned
off the last of the gas, and let his cousin out in
the dark.

"I will send you a line in the morning just to
say that all's well at Drummond's," said the
lawyer, as they shook hands in the street below;
"but you must give me your word of honour to
sign no more cheques till after Wednesday; and,
above all, never again to transact any important
business without first taking my advice."

"Indeed, cousin William, I never will,"
replied Saxon, penitently.

"And if your disinterested friend comes to you
in his wrath to-morrow morning, refer him to me.
My nerves are strong, and I can bear any amount
of vituperation."

"I suppose he will be very much annoyed," said
Saxon.

"Annoyed? He will go raging up and down,
seeking whom he may devour. But what does
that matter? His anger will not fall upon
you, but upon your legal adviser. And I am
not afraid that he will eat me. Lawyers are
indigestible."

Whereupon they again shook hands, and went
their separate ways; Mr. Trefalden's way being
to Bayswater, where dwelt the chief cashier in
the bosom of his family, and Saxon's to his stall
at the Opera.

CHAPTER XXI. MR. GREATOREX WITH THE
POLISH OFF.

"MR. GREATOREX wishes to know, sir, if you
can give him five minutes' private conversation?"

It was not quite a quarter past ten, and Saxon,
who had taken a riding-lesson before breakfast,
was loitering over a book, with the breakfast-
service still upon the table. He laid the volume
hastily down, and desired that Mr. Greatorex
might be shown in. He was no moral coward;
but he felt decidedly uncomfortable when he
heard the quick ring of the banker's high-heeled
boots on the polished floor of the ante-chamber.

Mr. Greatorex came in, shut the door in
Gillingwater's face, flung a crumpled slip of
paper on the table, and said, in a voice that
quivered with suppressed passion:

"You have thought fit, Mr. Trefalden, to stop
the payment of this cheque. May I inquire
with what motive?"

He kept his hat on, and the face beneath it
was at a white heat, even to the lips.

"I am really very sorry, Greatorex," said
Saxon, nervously, "but I ought never to have
given it to you. My cousin manages all my
affairs, and I had no business to interfere with his
arrangements. He objects to your offer, and—
and I am obliged to decline it. But why won't
you shake hands with me?"

Mr. Greatorex put his hands behind his back.

"You have insulted me," he said, "and...."

"Not intentionally," interrupted Saxon.
"Upon my honour, not intentionally."

The banker heard him with a bitter smile.

"Pshaw!" he said, scornfully. "We all
know what intentions are worth. Yours were
certainly not very friendly when you exposed me
just now to the grins and sneers of every petty
clerk in Drummond's office. Pray, did it not
occur to you that the position might be the
reverse of agreeable; or that it might affect my
credit somewhat unpleasantly among my brother
bankers?"

"I feared, indeed, that I might be so
unfortunate as to inconvenience you, Mr.
Greatorex," replied Saxon, with dignity; "and
I tell you again, that I am sorry for it. But I
had no thought of insulting you."

"Inconvenience!" echoed Greatorex, fiercely.
"Good God, man, you have ruined me!"

"Ruined you?"

"Ay, ruined me—me and mine—my father,
who is an old man of sixty-eight—my sisters,
who are both unmarried. Curse you! how do
you like that?"

And with this he flung himself into a chair,
and sat drumming on the table with his clenched
hands.

Saxon was inexpressibly shocked.

"You must explain this to me," he faltered.
"I do not understand—indeed I do not!"

Greatorex glared up at him vindictively, but
made no reply.

"I would not willingly injure my worst
enemy, if I had one," continued the young