what I
offered you, and now you shall have nothing."

"Och, the sly slut--the crafty young minx," cried Ross, "to get a
hold of the money first."

"Hush, boys, leave it to me," said Jacob. "Greeba," he said, in a
voice of deep sorrow, "I never should have believed it of you--you
that was always so kind and loving to strangers, not to speak of your
own kith and kin----"

"Stop that," cried Greeba, lifting her head proudly, her eyes
flashing, and the woman all over aflame. "Do you think I don't see
through your paltry schemes? You defrauded me when I was poor and at
your mercy, and now when you think I am rich, and could do you a
service, you come to me on your knees. But I spurn you, you mean,
grovelling men, you that impoverished my father and then turned your
backs upon him, you that plotted against my husband and would now
lick the dust under his feet. Get out of my house, and never darken
my doors again. Come here no more, I tell you, or I will disown you.
Go--go!"

And just as sheep they had huddled together, so as sheep she swept
them out before her. They trooped away through the kitchen and past
the little English maid, but their eyes were down and they did not
see her.

"Did ye give her that crown piece?" asked Thurstan, looking into
Jacob's eyes. But Jacob said nothing--he only swore a little.

"The numskull!" muttered Thurstan. "The tomfool! The booby! The
mooncalf! The jobbernowl! I was a fool to join his crackbrained
scheme."

"I always said it would come to nothing," said Asher, "and we've
thrown away five and thirty pound apiece, and fourteen per cent. for
the honor of doing it."

"It's his money, though--the grinding young miser--and may he whistle
till he gets it," said Thurstan.

"Oh, yes, you're a pretty pack of wise asses, you are," said Jacob,
bitterly. "Money thrown away, is it? You've never been so near to
your fortune in your life."

"How is that?" asked the other five at once.

"How is it that Red Jason has gone to prison? For threatening Michael
Sunlocks? Very likely," said Jacob, with a curl of the lip.

"What then?" said John.

"For threatening herself," said Jacob. "She has lied about it."

"And what if she has? Where's our account in that?" said Asher.

"Where? Why, with her husband," said Jacob, and four distinct
whistles answered him.

"You go bail Michael Sunlocks knows less than we know," Jacob added,
"and maybe we might tell him something that would be worth a tri