Grafton," said the captain.
"'I have a little money of my own, Daniel, which I have saved lately
with this in view. I give it into your charge, and if trouble comes to
him, my old friend, you will use it as you see fit.'

"It was a bit under a thousand pounds, Richard. And when she died I put
it out under Mr. Carroll's direction at safe interest. So that you
have enough to discharge your debt, and something saved against another
emergency."

He fell silent, sunk into one of those reveries which the memory of my
mother awoke in him. My own thoughts drifted across the sea. I was again
at the top of the stairs in Arlington Street, and feeling the dearest
presence in the world. The pale oval of Dorothy's face rose before me
and the troubled depths of her blue eyes. And I heard once more the
tremble in her voice as she confessed, in words of which she took no
heed, that love for which I had sought in vain.

The summer dusk was gathering. Outside, under the cherry trees, I
saw Banks holding forth to an admiring circle of negro 'ostlers. And
presently Mr. Claude came in to say that Shaw, the town carpenter, and
Sol Mogg, the ancient sexton of St. Anne's, and several more of my old
acquaintances were without, and begged the honour of greeting me.

CHAPTER XLIV. NOBLESSE OBLIGE

I lay that night in Captain Clapsaddle's lodgings opposite, and slept
soundly. Banks was on hand in the morning to assist at my toilet, and
was greatly downcast when I refused him this privilege, for the first
time. Captain Daniel was highly pleased with the honest fellow's
devotion in following me to America. To cheer him he began to question
him as to my doings in London, and the first thing of which Banks must
tell was of the riding-contest in Hyde Park, which I had omitted. It is
easy to imagine how this should have tickled the captain, who always had
my horsemanship at heart; and when it came to Chartersea's descent into
the Serpentine, I thought he would go into apoplexy. For he had put on
flesh with the years.

The news of my return had spread all over town, so that I had a deal
more handshaking to do when we went to the Coffee House for breakfast.
All the quality were in the country, of course, save only four gentlemen
of the local Patriots' committee, of which Captain Daniel was a member,
and with whom he had an appointment at ten. It was Mr. Swain who arrived
first of the four.

This old friend of my childhood was a quiet man (I m