respectfully informed him that unless certain sums due on
dishonoured bills were paid to them in a specified time, they were
instructed by their client, Mr James Poynter, to take immediate
proceedings for the recovery of the debt.

"Mark, old chap, the attack has begun;" and Hendon handed the letter to
the former, who read it through.

"Let's go down-stairs," he said. "I want to talk to you."

"Is anything wrong?" said Janet anxiously.

"Nothing fresh, my dear," replied Mark: "Hendon and I are going to chat
over matters. We shall be up again soon."

"But is the news very bad?" said Rich.

"No: on the whole good," replied Mark; and he and Hendon went
down-stairs, and were going into the dining-room, but the gas was lit in
the surgery, and they went there, to find Bob going over the bottles,
and, after a careful polish, putting them back.

"Be off for a bit, my boy," said Hendon; "or--no; go on with your work."

He took a match from a box on a shelf, and lit the consulting-room lamp.

"Here," he said, "room's chilly; we may as well have a pipe over it."

Mark nodded, and they smoked for a few minutes in silence.

"Why did you say that was good news?" said Hendon at last.

"Because the enemy shows his hand."

"Shows his hand? How?"

"If he had any claim upon your father, he would have attacked him first.
He has no claim. It was an empty boast."

"So much the better," cried Hendon. "Well, that settles it. I shall go
off with you."

Mark smoked in silence.

"If you'll have me. But I say, old fellow, do you quite give up the
diamonds?"

"Quite."

"You said you had been to the police again, yesterday."

"Yes, and they say they think they can lay their hands upon the men when
they try to sell."

"Well, then, there is hope."

"Not a bit. They are cooling down. I don't think they have much faith
in my story; and, besides, the matter is growing stale. They have a
dozen more things on the way. Hendon, my lad, you love my sister?"

"On my--"

"That will do. I believe it; but neither you nor I can marry for years
to come. You shall go with me, and we will come back well enough off to
make those two our wives."

"But Poynter's debt? He'll have me arrested before I can leave the
country."

"His debt shall be paid."

"Paid?"

"Not in full, but as much as is honestly due to him. I shall set a
sensible solicitor to work to make a compromise."

"But the money? No, no; he will not give