. Gadgem. I said--I--would
look--them--over--during--the--day. You've had some dealings with me and
know exactly what kind of a man I am. When I want you I will send for
you. If I don't send for you, come here to-morrow morning at ten o'clock
and Mr. Rutter will give you his answer. Todd, show Mr. Gadgem out."

"But, Mr. Temple--you forGET that my duty is to--"

"I forget nothing. Todd, show Mr. Gadgem out."

With the closing of the door behind the agent, St. George turned to
Harry. His eyes were snapping fire and his big frame tense with anger.
This phase of the affair had not occurred to him--nothing in which money
formed an important part ever did occur to him.

"A cowardly piece of business, Harry, and on a par with everything he
has done since you left his house. Talbot must be crazy to act as he
does. He can't break you down in any other way, so he insults you before
his friends and now throws these in your face"--and he pointed to
the package of bills where Gadgem had laid it--"a most extraordinary
proceeding. Please hand me that list. Thank you.... Now this third item
... this five hundred dollars--did you get that money?"

"Yes--and another hundred the next day, which isn't down," rejoined the
young man, running his eye over the list.

"Borrowed it?"

"Yes, of course--for Gilbert. He got into a card scrape at the tavern
and I helped him out. I told my father all about it and he said I had
done just right; that I must always help a friend out in a case like
that, and that he'd pay it. All he objected to was my borrowing it of a
tradesman instead of my coming to him." It was an age of borrowing and a
bootmaker was often better than a banker.

"Well--but why didn't you go to him?" He wanted to get at all the facts.

"There wasn't time. Gilbert had to have the money in an hour, and it was
the only place where I could get it."

"Of course there wasn't time--never is when the stakes are running
like that." St. George folded up the memorandum. He knew something of
Talbot's iron will, but he never supposed that he would lose his sense
of what was right and wrong in exercising it. Again he opened the
list--rather hurriedly this time, as if some new phase had struck
him--studied it for a moment, and then asked with an increased interest
in his tones:

"Did Gilbert give you back the money you loaned him?"

"Yes--certainly; about a month afterward." Here at least was an asset.

St. George's face lighted up.