me feeling of gratitude. I
don't like a woman to be too independent."

"You've never seen her," Jacob groaned.

"Not to speak to, but I've seen her once or twice on the platform with
her father. She is very good-looking, of course," Dauncey continued
hesitatingly, "although she always reminded me of one of the
conventional pictures of the birth or purse-proud young women which
adorn the illustrated papers."

"You've never seen her smile," Jacob said gloomily, as he rose to his
feet. "However, she may get more reasonable after the first shock has
passed away.... Time we started for the City, eh, Dick?"

They motored through the old-fashioned villages and along the quiet
country lanes, towards where the wide-flung arms of the great city
crept out like tentacles of hideous brick and mortar, to gather in her
children. This morning ride was to both of them a never-ending source
of delight. Jacob especially had the air of a schoolboy when he
remembered the punctual train, his punctual appearance at the dingy
warehouse in Bermondsey Street, his inevitable sallying forth,
half-an-hour later, with a list of names in his pocket, a few samples
of leather in his bag, and the stock phrases of the market packed into
his head by the never-satisfied Mr. Smith.

"A free man, Dick," he observed, taking his cigar from his mouth and
drawing a long breath of content. "A free man at thirty-four years of
age. It's wonderful!"

"If it only lasts!" Dauncey muttered, with a touch of his old
pessimism.

"You can cut that out, old fellow," Jacob insisted firmly. "I gave
Pedlar a cheque for thirty-eight thousand pounds yesterday, and that
left me fifty-five thousand of the original hundred thousand. Since
then I have received bonds to the registered par value of four hundred
thousand pounds, which are being sold to-day in New York at eight
times their par value. Then there was a quarterly dividend cheque
yesterday for nine thousand pounds. You'll admit the money's there."

"Can't deny facts," Dauncey agreed, with returning cheerfulness.

"As regards your personal position," Jacob went on, "I made my will
yesterday and I left you five hundred a year."

"Jacob!"

Jacob patted his friend on the shoulder.

"I've only told you this, old chap," he went on, "because I want you
to lift up your head when you walk, remember that you owe nobody
anything, and that, whatever measure of bad luck you may have, you are
outside all risk of financial