so lightly
that the chances are that he will hear you; he is armed with a
blunderbuss, and with pistols. You say to me, 'Your money or your life.'
I say to you, in reply, 'Neither: attempt to seize the money, and your
own life is lost."

"Miser! I don't believe that sums so large are not in your own keeping.
And even if they are not, you shall show me where they are; you shall
lead me through those windings and passages of which you so tenderly
warn me, my hand on your throat. And if servants wake, or danger
threaten me, it is you who shall save me, or die! Ha! you do not fear
me--eh, Mr. Darrell!" And Losely rose.

"I do not fear you," replied Darrell, still seated. "I cannot conceive
that you are here with no other design than a profitless murder. You are
here, you say, to make terms; it will be time enough to see whose life
is endangered when all your propositions have been stated. As yet
you have only suggested a robbery, to which you ask me to assist you.
Impossible! Grant even that you were able to murder me, you would be
just as far off from your booty. And yet you say your terms have risen!
To me they seem fallen to nothing! Have you anything else to say?"

The calmness of Darrell, so supremely displayed in this irony, began to
tell upon the ruffian--the magnetism of the great man's eye and voice,
and steadfast courage, gradually gaining power over the wild, inferior
animal. Trying to recover his constitutional audacity, Jasper said, with
a tone of the old rollicking voice: "Well, Mr. Darrell, it is all one to
me how I wring from you, in your own house, what you refused me when I
was a suppliant on the road. Fair means are pleasanter than foul. I am a
gentleman--the grandson of Sir Julian Losely, of Losely Hall; I am your
son-in-law; and I am starving. This must not be; write me a cheque."

Darrell dipped his pen in the ink, and drew the paper towards him.

"Oho! you don't fear me, eh? This is not done from fear, mind--all out
of pure love and compassion, my kind father-in-law. You will write me a
cheque for five thousand pounds--come, I am moderate--your life is worth
a precious deal more than that. Hand me the cheque--I will trust to your
honour to give me no trouble in cashing it, and bid you good-night-my
father-in-law."

As Losely ceased with a mocking laugh, Darrell sprang up quickly, threw
open the small casement which was within his reach, and flung from it
the paper on which he had been writing, a