f it. In no
subsequent discussion would Mr. Wharton have alluded to it, had not
circumstances now as it were driven it back upon his mind. And since
the day on which he had paid that money he had been, as he declared
to himself, swindled over and over again by his son-in-law. There was
the dinner in Manchester Square, and after that the brougham, and
the rent, and a score of bills, some of which he had paid and some
declined to pay! And yet he had said but little to the man himself of
all these injuries. Of what use was it to say anything? Lopez would
simply reply that he had asked him to pay nothing. "What is it all,"
Lopez had once said, "to the fortune I had a right to expect with
your daughter?" "You had no right to expect a shilling," Wharton had
said. Then Lopez had shrugged his shoulders, and there had been an
end of it.

But now, if this rumour were true, there had been positive
dishonesty. From whichever source the man might have got the money
first, if the money had been twice got, the second payment had been
fraudulently obtained. Surely if the accusation had been untrue Lopez
would have come to him and declared it to be false, knowing what must
otherwise be his thoughts. Lately, in the daily worry of his life,
he had avoided all conversation with the man. He would not allow his
mind to contemplate clearly what was coming. He entertained some
irrational, undefined hope that something would at last save his
daughter from the threatened banishment. It might be, if he held his
own hand tight enough, that there would not be money enough even to
pay for her passage out. As for her outfit, Lopez would of course
order what he wanted and have the bills sent to Manchester Square.
Whether or not this was being done neither he nor Emily knew. And
thus matters went on without much speech between the two men. But now
the old barrister thought that he was bound to speak. He therefore
waited on a certain morning till Lopez had come down, having
previously desired his daughter to leave the room. "Lopez," he asked,
"what is this that the newspapers are saying about your expenses at
Silverbridge?"

Lopez had expected the attack and had endeavoured to prepare himself
for it. "I should have thought, sir, that you would not have paid
much attention to such statements in a newspaper."

"When they concern myself, I do. I paid your electioneering
expenses."

"You certainly subscribed L500 towards them, Mr. Wharton."

"I subs