ngs I won't stand!"

"Then we'll try to avoid them. All I require is that you still give the
lad the entry of this house and don't interfere with me. You see I'm
reasonable."

As Gladwyne had interfered, to acquiesce was to own defeat, which was
galling, and while he hesitated Batley watched him with an air of
indulgent amusement.

"It's a pity you were not quite straight with me at the beginning,
Gladwyne; it would have saved you trouble," he remarked at length. "I
took a sporting risk at pretty long odds--I have to do so now and then
and I pay up when I lose. But if I'd known the money was to go to Miss
Gladwyne and you would only get the land, I'd never have kept you
supplied; and in particular I wouldn't have made the last big loan
shortly before you and your cousin sailed for Canada."

"You knew it was a blind speculation--that I ran the same risk as George
did, and that he might outlive me."

"You're wrong on one point," Batley objected dryly. "I'm acquainted with
your temperament--it's not one that would lead you into avoidable
difficulties. Well, you came through and your cousin died, but you failed
to pay me off when you came into possession."

"I've explained that I couldn't foresee the trouble I have in meeting
expenses. I've paid you an extortionate interest."

"That's in arrears," retorted Batley. "You should have pinched and denied
yourself to the utmost until you had got rid of me. You couldn't bring
yourself to do so--well, it's rather a pity one can't have everything."

Approaching the table, he quietly took up the lamp. It was heavy,
standing on a massive silver pillar, but he raised it above his head so
that the light streamed far about the stately room. Then he laughed as he
set it down.

"It's something to be the owner of such a place and enjoy all that it
implies--which includes your acknowledged status and your neighbors'
respect. There would be a risk of losing the latter if it came out that,
driven by financial strain, you had been speculating on your cousin's
death."

Gladwyne made a little abrupt movement and Batley saw that his shot had
told.

"It would be enough to place you under a cloud," he went on. "People
might think that you had at least not been very reluctant to leave him to
starve. Well, I've had to wait for my money, with the interest by no
means regularly paid, and unless you can square off the account, I must
ask you to leave me a free hand to deal with Crestwick as