nner which made Leonard a little anxious. He busied
himself for the balance of the morning in getting together all his unpaid
accounts and making a schedule of them. The total at first amazed almost
as much as it frightened him. He feared what Stephen would say. She had
already commented unfavourably on the one amount she had seen. When she
was face to face with this she might refuse to pay altogether. It would
therefore be wise to propitiate her. What could he do in this direction?
His thoughts naturally turned to the missing letter. If he could get
possession of it, it would either serve as a sop or a threat. In the one
case she would be so glad to have it back that she would not stick at a
few pounds; in the other it would 'bring her to her senses' as he put in
his own mind his intention of blackmail.

He was getting so tightened up in situation that as yet he could only do
as he was told, and keep his temper as well as he could.

Altogether it was in a chastened mood that he made his appearance at
Normanstand later in the afternoon. He was evidently expected, for he
was shown into the study without a word. Here Miss Rowly and Stephen
joined him. Both were very kind in manner. After the usual greetings
and commonplaces Stephen said in a brisk, businesslike way:

'Have you the papers with you?' He took the bundle of accounts from his
pocket and handed them to her. After his previous experience he would
have suggested, had he dared, that he should see Stephen alone; but he
feared the old lady. He therefore merely said:

'I am afraid you will find the amount very large. But I have put down
everything!'

So he had; and more than everything. At the last an idea struck him that
as he was getting so much he might as well have a little more. He
therefore added several good-sized amounts which he called 'debts of
honour.' This would, he thought, appeal to the feminine mind. Stephen
did not look at the papers at once. She stood up, holding them, and said
to Miss Rowly:

'Now, if you will talk to Mr. Everard I will go over these documents
quietly by myself. When I have been through them and understand them all
I shall come back; and we will see what can be done.' She moved
gracefully out of the room, closing the door behind her. As is usual
with women, she had more than one motive for her action in going away. In
the first place, she wished to be alone whilst she went over the schedule
of the deb