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Page 69
"Yes; I will lift your paper--the whole of it."
"Impossible! I can't accept money from a friend!"
"I'm more than that, my boy--or will be. Isn't your brother going to
marry my cousin? And, anyway, we'll call it a loan. I'll take your I O U
for the amount, and you can have twenty years to repay it--a hundred if
you like. I can easily spare the money."
"I tell you I won't--"
"Don't tell me anything. It's settled. I mean to do it."
Bertie broke down; his scruples yielded before his friend's persistence.
"I'll pay it back," he cried, half sobbingly. "I'll be able to some day.
God bless you, Jimmie--you don't know what you've saved me from. Another
chance! I will make the most of it! I'll cut the old life and run
straight--I mean it this time. I'm done with cards and evil companions,
and all the rest of it!"
"Glad to hear it," said Jimmie. "I want your word of honor that you
won't exceed your income hereafter, and that you will leave London for
six months and go home."
"I will; I swear it!"
"And you will have nothing more to do with Flora and her kind?"
"Never again!"
"I believe you," said Jimmie, patting the young man on the shoulder.
"Cheer up now and we'll breakfast together presently, and meanwhile I'll
send a man round to your rooms for some morning togs. Then I'll leave
you here while I go down to the city to see my bankers. I'll be back
before noon, and bring a solicitor with me; I want the thing done
ship-shape."
With that, Jimmie retired to the bedroom, where he was soon heard
splashing in his tub. An hour later, when breakfast was over, he hurried
away. He returned at half-past twelve, accompanied by an elderly
gentleman of legal aspect, Mr. Grimsby by name. Bertie was ready,
dressed in a suit of brown tweeds, and the three went on foot to Duke
street, St. James'. They passed through the narrow court, and, without
knocking, entered the office of Benjamin and Company. No one was there,
but two persons were talking in a rear apartment, the door of which
stood open an inch or so. And one of the voices sounded strangely
familiar to Jimmie.
"Listen!" he whispered to Bertie. "Do you hear that?"
CHAPTER XXIII.
ON THE TRACK.
In answer to Jimmie's question, Bertie gave him a puzzled look; he
clearly did not understand. At the same instant the conversation in the
next room was brought to a close. Some person said "Good-morning,
Benjamin," and there was a sound of a door closing and of retreating
footsteps; one of the speakers had gone, probably by another exit. The
house, as Jimmie suspected, fronted on Duke street, and it was the rear
portion that was connected with the court.
The elderly Jew, who was Mr. Benjamin himself, promptly entered the
office, adjusting a black skull-cap to his head. He gave a barely
perceptible start of surprise at sight of his visitors; he could not
have known that they were there. He apologized extravagantly, and
inquired what he could have the pleasure of doing for them. Mr. Grimsby
stated their business, and the Jew listened with an inscrutable face;
his deep-sunken eyes blinked uneasily.
"Do I understand," he said, addressing himself to the Honorable Bertie,
"that you wish to take up not only the bill which is due to-day--"
"No; all of them, Benjamin," Bertie interrupted. "My friend wants to pay
you to the last penny."
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