ed, as I am sure my countryman, Mr. Paterson, has long ago made
plain. It is not a question of the wealth of England, but a question of
the confidence of the people in the throne. There is money in abundance
in England. It is the province of my Lord Chancellor to wheedle it out
of those coffers where it is concealed and place it before the uses of
the king. Gentlemen, it is confidence that we need. There will be no
trouble to secure loans of money in this rich land, but the taxes must
be the pledge to your bankers. This new Bank of England will furnish you
what moneys you may need. Secure them only by the pledge of such taxes
as you feel the people may not resent; give the people, free of cost, a
coinage which they can trust; and then, it seems to me, my Lords and
gentlemen, the problem of the revenue may be thought solved simply and
easily--solved, too, without irritating either the people or the
Parliament, or endangering the relations of Parliament and the throne."

The conviction which fell upon all found its best expression in the face
of Montague. The youth and nervousness of the man passed away upon the
instant. He sat there sober and thoughtful, quiet and resolved.

"Gentlemen," said he at last, slowly, "my course is plain from this
instant. I shall draw the bill and it shall go to Parliament. The
expense of this recoinage I am sure we can find maintained by the
stockholders of the Bank of England, and for their pay we shall propose
a new tax upon the people of England. We shall tax the windows of the
houses of England, and hence tax not only the poor but the rich of
England, and that proportionately with their wealth. As for the coin of
England, it shall be honest coin, made honest and kept honest, at no
cost to the people of old England. Sirs, my heart is lighter than it has
been for many days."

The last trace of formality in the meeting having at length vanished,
Montague made his way rapidly to the foot of the table. He caught Law by
both his hands.

"Sir," said he, "you helped us at the last stage of our ascent. A
mistake here had been ruinous, not only to myself and friends, but to
the safety of the whole Government. You spoke wisely and practically.
Sir, if I can ever in all my life serve you, command me, and at whatever
price you name. I am not yet done with you, sir," resumed Montague,
casting his arm boyishly about the other's shoulder as they walked out.
"We must meet again to discuss certain prob