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and pounds！ It had passed through my hands。' Then I began to funk again at his knowing that： perhaps he only guessed it after all： but at the time I thought he knew it； I was flustered； ye see。 But I said； 'I'd look at the books； but I didn't think his deposit was anything like that。' 'You little equivocating humbug；' says he： 'and which was better； to tell the truths at once and let Captain Dodd； who never did me any harm； have his own； or to hear it told me in the felon's dock？' Those were his words； sir： and they made my blood run cold； and if he had gone on at me like that； I should have split； I know I should： but he just said； 'There； your face has given your tongue the lie： you haven't brains enough to play the rogue。' Oh； and another thinghe said he wouldn't talk to the sparrow…hawk any more； when there was the kite hard by： so by that I guess your turn is coming； sir； so mind your eye。 And then he turned his back on me with a look as if I was so much dirt。 But I didn't mind that； I was glad to be shut of him at any price。〃
This intelligence discomposed Mr。 Hardie terribly； it did away with all hope that Alfred meant to keep his suspicions to himself。 〃Why did you not tell me this before？〃 said he reproachfully。
Skinner's sharp visage seemed to sharpen as he replied； 〃Because I wanted a thousand pounds first。〃
〃Curse your low cunning！〃
Skinner laughed。 〃Good…bye； sir： take care of yourself and I'll take care of mine。 I'm afraid of Mr。 Alfred and the stone jug； so I'm off to London； and there I'll un…Skinner myself into Mr。 Something or other； and make my thousand pounds breed ten。〃 And he whipped out； leaving his master filled with rage and dismay。
〃Outwitted even by this little wretch！〃
He was now accountable for fourteen thousand pounds； and had only thirteen thousand left； if forced to reimburse； so that it was quite on the cards for him to lose a thousand pounds by robbing his neighbour and risking his own immortal jewel。 This galled him to the quick； and altogether his equable temper began to give way； it had already survived half the iron of his nerves。 He walked up and down the parlour chafing like an irritated lion。 In which state of his mind the one enemy he now feared and hated walked quietly into the room； and begged for a little serious conversation with him。
〃It is like your effrontery；〃 said Mr。 Hardie： 〃I wonder you are not ashamed to look your father in the face。〃
〃Having wronged nobody I can look anybody in the face；〃 replied Alfred； looking him in the face point…blank。
At this swift rejoinder； Mr。 Hardie felt like a too confident swordsman； who； attacking in a passion suddenly receives a prick that shows him his antagonist is not one to be trifled with。 He was on his guard directly； and said coldly； 〃You have been belying me to my very clerk。〃
〃No； sir： you are mistaken； I have never mentioned your name to your clerk。〃
Mr。 Hardie reflected on what Skinner had told him； and found he had made another false move。 He tried again： 〃Nor to the Dodds？〃 with an incredulous sneer。
〃Nor to the Dodds；〃 replied Alfred calmly。
〃What； not to Miss Julia Dodd？〃
〃No； sir； I have seen her but once； sinceI discovered about the fourteen thousand pounds。〃
〃What fourteen thousand pounds？〃 inquired Mr。 Hardie innocently。
〃What fourteen thousand pounds！〃 repeated the young man disdainfully。 Then suddenly turning on his father； with red brow and flashing eyes： 〃The fourteen thousand pounds Captain Dodd brought home from India： the fourteen thousand pounds I heard him claim of you with curses： ay； miserable son； and miserable man； that I am； I heard my own father called a villain； and what did my father reply？ Did you hurl the words back into your accuser's throat？ No： you whispered； 'Hush！ hush！ I'll bring it you down。' Oh； what a hell Shame is！〃
Mr。 Hardie turned pale； and almost sick： with these words of Alfred's fled all hope of ever deceiving him。
〃There； there；〃 said the young man； lowering his voice from rage to profound sorrow： 〃I don't come here to quarrel with my father； nor to insult him； God knows： and I entreat you for both our sakes not to try my temper too hard by these childish attempts to blind me： and； sir； pray dismiss from your mind the notion that I have disclosed to any living soul my knowledge of this horrible secret： on the contrary； I have kept it gnawing my heart and almost maddening me at times。 For my own personal satisfaction I have applied a test both to you and Skinner； but that is all I have done： I have not told dear Julia； nor any of her family； and now； if you will only listen to me； and do what I entreat you to do； she shall never know； oh； never。〃
〃Oho！〃 thought Mr。 Hardie； 〃he comes with a proposal： I'll hear it； anyway。〃
He then took a line well known to artful men： he encouraged Alfred to show his hand； maintaining a complete reserve as to his own； 〃You say you did not communicate your illusion about this fourteen thousand pounds to Julia Dodd that night： May I ask then （without indiscretion） what did pass between you two？〃
〃I will tell you； sir。 She saw me standing there； and asked me in her own soft angel voice if I was unhappy。 I told her I must be a poor creature if I could be happy。 Then she asked me； with some hesitation I thought； why I was unhappy。 I said； because I could not see the path of honour and duty clear： that at least was the purport。 Then she told me that in all difficulties she had found the best way was to pray to God to guide her； and she begged me to lay my care before Him and ask His counsel。 And then I thanked her； and bade her good…night； and she me； and that was all that passed between us two unhappy lovers； whom you have made miserable； and even cool to one another； but not hostile to you。 And you played the spy on us； sir； and misunderstood us； as spies generally do。 Ah； sir！ a few months ago you would not have condescended to that。〃
Mr。 Hardie coloured； but did not reply。 He had passed from the irritable into the quietly vindictive stage。
Alfred then deprecated further discussion of what was past； and said abruptly； 〃I have an offer to make you： in a very short time I shall have ten thousand pounds； I will not resign my whole fortune； that would be unjust to myself； and my wife； and I loathe and despise Injustice in all its forms； however romantic or plausible。 But； if you will give the Dodds their L。 14；000； I will share my little fortune equally with you： and thank you； and bless you。 Consider； sir； with your abilities and experience five thousand pounds may yet be the nucleus of a fortune； a fortune built on an honourable foundation。 I know you will thrive with my five thousand pounds ten times more than with their fourteen thousand； and enjoy the blessing of blessings； a clear conscience。〃
Now this offer was no sooner made than Mr。 Hardie shut his face； and went to mental arithmetic； like one doing a sum behind a thick door。 He would have taken ten thousand： but five thousand did not much tempt him： besides； would it be five thousand clear？ He already owed Alfred two thousand five hundred。 It flashed through him that a young man who loathed and despised Injusticeeven to himselfwould not