ld wind up the thing tomorrow. The market-price
has been made for me by the jobbers yesterday and today. I'm all ready
to end the whole business tomorrow--close it all out. And after that's
done, what do I care about the Stock Exchange Committee? They can
investigate and be damned! What could they do to me?"

"I think a man can always be arrested and indicted, and sent to penal
servitude," said Lord Plowden, with a certain solemnity of tone. "There
are even well-known instances of extradition."

Thorpe buried his chin deep in his collar, and regarded his companion
with a fixed gaze, in which the latter detected signs of trepidation.
"But about the Committee--and tomorrow," he said slowly. "What do you
say about that? How can they act in that lightning fashion? And even if
proofs could be got, how do you suppose they are to be got on the drop
of the hat, at a minute's notice?"

"The case is of sufficient importance to warrant a special meeting
tomorrow morning," the other rejoined. "One hour's notice, posted in the
House, is sufficient, I believe. Any three members of the Committee can
call such a meeting, and I understand that seven make a quorum. You will
see that a meeting could be held at noon tomorrow, and within half an
hour could make you a ruined man."

"I don't know--would you call it quite ruined?" commented Thorpe. "I
should still have a few sovereigns to go on with."

"A criminal prosecution would be practically inevitable--after such a
disclosure," Plowden reminded him, with augmented severity of tone.

"Don't mix the two things up," the other urged. There seemed to the
listener to be supplication in the voice. "It's the action of the
Committee that you said you could influence. That's what we were talking
about. You say there will be a special meeting at noon tomorrow----

"I said there could be one," Plowden corrected him.

"All right. There CAN be one. And do you say that there can be
proof,--proof against me of fraud,--produced at that meeting?"

"Yes--I say that," the nobleman affirmed, quietly.

"And further still--do you say that it rests with you whether that proof
shall be produced or not?"

Lord Plowden looked into the impassive, deep-eyed gaze which covered
him, and looked away from it again. "I haven't put it in just that
form," he said, hesitatingly. "But in essentials--yes, that may be taken
as true."

"And what is your figure? How much do you want for holding this proof
of yours