ck before you go to the station."

"How much do you want?"

"I really don't know, till I have consulted Penfold. The gold was a large
and advantageous purchase, sir."

"No doubt; no doubt. I'll give you my signature, and you can fill in the
amount."

He drew a check in favor of Arthur Wardlaw, signed it, and left him to
fill in the figures.

He then looked at his watch, and remarked they would barely have time to
get to the station.

"Good heavens!" cried Arthur; "and I can't go. I must learn the
particulars of the loss of the _Proserpine,_ and prepare the statement at
once for the underwriters."

"Well, never mind. _I_ can go."

"But what will she think of me? I ought to be the first to welcome her."

"I'll make your excuses."

"No, no; say nothing. After all, it was you who received the telegram, so
you naturally meet her; but you will bring her here, father. You won't
whisk my darling down to Elmtrees till you have blessed me with the sight
of her."

"I will not be so cruel, fond lover," said old Wardlaw, laughing, and
took up his hat and gloves to go.

Arthur went to the door with him in great anxiety, lest he should
question Burtenshaw. But, peering into the outer office, he observed
Burtenshaw was not there. Michael had caught his employer's anxious look
and conveyed the banker into the small room where the short-hand writer
was at work. But Burtenshaw was one of a struggling firm; to him every
minute was an hour. He had sat, fuming with impatience, so long as he
heard talking in the inner office; and, the moment it ceased, he took the
liberty of coming in; so that he opened the side door just as Wardlaw
senior was passing through the center door.

Instantly Wardlaw junior whipped before him, to hide his figure from his
retreating father.

Wylie--who all this time had been sitting silent, looking from one to the
other, and quietly puzzling out the game as well as he could--observed
this movement and grinned.

As for Arthur Wardlaw, he saw his father safe out, then gave a sigh of
relief, and walked to his office table and sat down and began to fill in
the check.

Burtenshaw drew near and said, "I am instructed to say that fifty
thousand pounds on account will be accepted."

Perhaps if this proposal had been made a few seconds sooner, the
ingenious Arthur would have availed himself of it; but as it was, he
preferred to take the high and mighty tone. "I decline any concession,"
said he. "Mr. P