significant gesture.

But Sir Adrian, the philosopher, though he could find no words to
impeach the logic of his friend's reasoning, and was all astir with
admiration for a resignation as perfect as either Christian or Stoic
could desire, found his soul rising in tumultuous rebellion against
the hideous decree. The longing that had beset him in the dawn, now
seized upon him with a new passion, and the cry escaped his lips
almost unwittingly:

"Oh, if I could die for you!"

"No, no," said Jack, with his sweet smile, "your life is too valuable,
too precious to the world. Adrian, believe me, you can still do much
good with it. And I know you will be happy yet."

It was the only allusion he had made to his friend's more personal
sorrows. Before the latter had time to reply, he hastened to proceed:

"And now to business. All the gold entrusted to me lies at Scarthey
and, faith, I believe it lies as weightily on my mind as if it was all
stored there instead! Renny knows the secret hiding-place. Will you
engage to restore it to its owners, in all privacy? This is a terribly
arduous undertaking, Adrian, and it is asking much of your friendship;
but if I know you, not too much. And it will enable my poor bones to
lie at rest, or rather," with a rueful laugh, "hang at rest on their
gibbet; for you know I am to be set up as a warning to other fools,
like a rat on a barn door. I have, by the kindness of the chaplain,
been able to write out a full schedule of the different sums, and to
whom they are due. He has taken charge of the closed packet directed
to you, and will give it to you intact, I feel sure. He is a man of
honour, and I trust him to respect the confidence I have placed in
him.... Egad! the poor old boys will be right glad to get their coin
back in safety. A couple of them have been up here already, to
interview me, in fear and trembling. They were hard set to credit me
when I assured them that they would be no losers in the end, after
all--barring the waiting. You see, I counted upon you."

"I shall never rest until it is done," said Sir Adrian, simply. And
Captain Jack as simply answered: "Thank you. Among the treasure there
is also L10,000 of my own; the rest of my laboriously acquired fortune
is forfeit to the Crown, as you know--much good may it do it! But this
little hoard I give to you. You do not want it, of course, and
therefore it is only to be yours that you may administrate it in
accordance to my wis