is more than all the thousands of pounds. Is it
not so?"

"Well, as to that, they all go together, you know."

"And that is so lucky! If they was to be separated, which would you
take?"

The little woman grinned as she asked this question, and Archie, had he
at all understood her character, might at once have put himself on a
pleasant footing with her; but he was still confused and ill at ease,
and only muttered something about the truth of his love for Julia.

"And you want to get her to marry you?"

"Yes; that's just it."

"And you want me to help you?

"That's just it again."

"Well?"

"Upon my word, if you'll stick to me, you know, and see me through it,
and all that kind of thing, you'll find in me a most grateful friend;
indeed, a most grateful friend." And Archie, as from his position he was
debarred from attempting the smoothing process, began to work with his
right forefinger under the glove on his left hand.

"What have you got there?" said Madam Gordeloup, looking at him with all
her eyes.

Captain Clavering instantly discontinued the work with his finger, and
became terribly confused. Her voice on asking the question had become
very sharp; and it seemed to him that if he brought out his money in
that awkward, barefaced way, which now seemed to be necessary, she would
display all the wrath of which a Russian spy could be capable. Would it
not be better that he should let the money rest for the present, and
trust to his promise of gratitude? Ah, how he wished that he had slipped
at any rate one note between the pages of a book.

"What have you got there?" she demanded again, very sharply.

"Oh, nothing."

"It is not nothing. What have you got there? If you have got nothing,
take off your glove. Come."

Captain Clavering became very red in the face, and was altogether at a
loss what to say or do.

"Is it money you have got there?" she asked. "Let me see how much.
Come."

"It is just a few bank-notes I put in here to be handy," he said.

"Ah; that is very handy, certainly. I never saw that custom before. Let
me look." Then she took his hand, and with her own hooked finger clawed
out the notes. "Ah! five, ten, fifteen, twenty pounds. Twenty pounds is
not a great deal, but it is very nice to have even that always handy. I
was wanting so much money as that myself; perhaps you will make it handy
to me."

"Upon my word I shall be most happy. Nothing on earth would give me more
pleasure."