"I said fifty pounds, and fifty pounds it is," answered Margaret. "Now
let us be going."

"But you mean to act fair?"

"I mean to act fair, and return your money."

"Oh, I don't mean that, I don't want that! It was the other affair; you
could not do anything so cruel."

Margaret turned short round and faced the stout man, who was trembling,
abjectly, from head to foot.

"Mr. Stacy, I have kept silent fifteen years and rather over. If I have
not spoken before, you may be certain I never shall. I wanted this money
very much, indeed, and shall repay it with less thankfulness because of
the mean way in which I forced it from you. Your wife may wear her shawl
and watch to the end, for any harm I mean her. Good morning, Mr. Stacy."

Stacy stood just as she left him, thrusting his cane into the turf.

"And she wouldn't have done it after all. What a confounded fool I have
made of myself! Two hundred and fifty dollars, and gold up to one-forty
at home, which makes another clean hundred. What a mercy it is she
didn't ask a thousand, though! She took the starch out of me, through
and through. I should have handed over anything she asked."

As Stacy was walking from the park, now and then giving a punch to the
turf with his cane, in discontented abstraction, he nearly ran against a
man who had just passed the gate, and, looking up angrily, saw Hepworth
Closs. The poor craven turned white as he saw that face; but Hepworth
was in haste, and took no heed of his agitation.

"You are just the man I most wanted," he said.

"What--what--me? Is it me you wanted?" stammered Stacy, smitten with
abject terror.

"Yes; you are an American, and will understand the value of American
bonds."

"American bonds! Surely, Mr. Closs, you will at least give me a chance
of bail? I tell you it is all false! That creature isn't to be believed
under oath."

"I have no idea what you mean," said Closs, a good deal puzzled; "but
you evidently do not understand me. I am about to leave England, and
have a monied trust to settle before I go. There is a reason why it is
inexpedient for me to act in person. I wish to pay the money, but give
no explanation. Will you act as my agent in this?"

"Is--is it--that estate you are just settling up?" asked Stacy, below
his breath, for he felt as if the earth were about to swallow him. "Is
it that?"

"I can give you no explanation. This money came into my hands years ago.
I invested it carefully--doubled i