Heseemedannoyedbythequestion，butadmittedwithreluctancethathehadalittle。
　　“Well，“Icontinued，“itistheirmoneytheyareafter，isitnot？
　　Whynotgiveituptothem？“
　　“Ah！“repliedhe，shakinghishead，“Ihavetriedthatalready，Mr。
　　Cassilis；andalas！thatitshouldbeso，butitisbloodtheywant。“
　　“Huddlestone，that’salittlelessthanfair，“saidNorthmour。
　　“Youshouldmentionthatwhatyouofferedthemwasupwardoftwohundredthousandshort。Thedeficitisworthareference；itisforwhattheycallacoolsum，Frank。Then，yousee，thefellowsreasonintheirclearItalianway；anditseemstothem，asindeeditseemstome，thattheymayjustaswellhavebothwhilethey’reaboutit——moneyandbloodtogether，byGeorge，andnomoretroublefortheextrapleasure。“
　　“Isitinthepavilion？“Iasked。
　　“Itis；andIwishitwereinthebottomoftheseainstead，“saidNorthmour；andthensuddenly——“Whatareyoumakingfacesatmefor？“hecriedtoMr。Huddlestone，onwhomIhadunconsciouslyturnedmyback。“DoyouthinkCassiliswouldsellyou？“
　　Mr。Huddlestoneprotestedthatnothinghadbeenfurtherfromhismind。
　　“Itisagoodthing，“retortedNorthmourinhisugliestmanner。
　　“Youmightendbywearyingus。Whatwereyougoingtosay？“headded，turningtome。
　　“Iwasgoingtoproposeanoccupationfortheafternoon，“saidI。
　　“Letuscarrythatmoneyout，piecebypiece，andlayitdownbeforethepaviliondoor。Ifthecarbonaricome，why，it’stheirsatanyrate。“
　　“No，no，“criedMr。Huddlestone；“itdoesnot，itcannot，belongtothem！Itshouldbedistributedprorataamongallmycreditors。“
　　“Comenow，Huddlestone，“saidNorthmour，“noneofthat。“
　　“Well，butmydaughter，“moanedthewretchedman。“Yourdaughterwilldowellenough。Herearetwosuitors，CassilisandI，neitherofusbeggars，betweenwhomshehastochoose。Andasforyourself，tomakeanendofarguments，youhavenorighttoafarthing，and，unlessI’mmuchmistaken，youaregoingtodie。“
　　Itwascertainlyverycruellysaid；butMr。Huddlestonewasamanwhoattractedlittlesympathy；and，althoughIsawhimwinceandshudder，Imentallyindorsedtherebuke；nay，Iaddedacontributionofmyown。
　　“NorthmourandI，“Isaid，“arewillingenoughtohelpyoutosaveyourlife，butnottoescapewithstolenproperty。“
　　Hestruggledforawhilewithhimself，asthoughhewereonthepointofgivingwaytoanger，butprudencehadthebestofthecontroversy。
　　“Mydearboys，“hesaid，“dowithmeormymoneywhatyouwill。I
　　leaveallinyourhands。Letmecomposemyself。“
　　Andsowelefthim，gladlyenoughIamsure。
　　ThelastthatIsaw，hehadoncemoretakenuphisgreatBible，andwithtremuloushandswasadjustinghisspectaclestoread。
　　VII
　　Therecollectionofthatafternoonwillalwaysbegravenonmymind。NorthmourandIwerepersuadedthatanattackwasimminent；
　　andifithadbeeninourpowertoalterinanywaytheorderofevents，thatpowerwouldhavebeenusedtoprecipitateratherthandelaythecriticalmoment。Theworstwastobeanticipated；yetwecouldconceivenoextremitysomiserableasthesuspensewewerenowsuffering。Ihaveneverbeenaneager，thoughalwaysagreat，reader；butIneverknewbookssoinsipidasthosewhichItookupandcastasidethatafternooninthepavilion。Eventalkbecameimpossible，asthehourswenton。Oneorotherwasalwayslisteningforsomesound，orpeeringfromanupstairswindowoverthelinks。Andyetnotasignindicatedthepresenceofourfoes。
　　Wedebatedoverandoveragainmyproposalwithregardtothemoney；andhadwebeenincompletepossessionofourfaculties，I
　　amsureweshouldhavecondemneditasunwise；butwewereflusteredwithalarm，graspedatastraw，anddetermined，althoughitwasasmuchasadvertisingMr。Huddlestone’spresenceinthepavilion，tocarrymyproposalintoeffect。
　　Thesumwaspartinspecie，partinbankpaper，andpartincircularnotespayabletothenameofJamesGregory。Wetookitout，countedit，incloseditoncemoreinadispatchboxbelongingtoNorthmour，andpreparedaletterinItalianwhichhetiedtothehandle。Itwassignedbybothofusunderoath，anddeclaredthatthiswasallthemoneywhichhadescapedthefailureofthehouseofHuddlestone。Thiswas，perhaps，themaddestactioneverperpetratedbytwopersonsprofessingtobesane。Hadthedispatchboxfallenintootherhandsthanthoseforwhichitwasintended，westoodcriminallyconvictedonourownwrittentestimony；but，asIhavesaid，wewereneitherofusinaconditiontojudgesoberly，andhadathirstforactionthatdroveustodosomething，rightorwrong，ratherthanenduretheagonyofwaiting。Moreover，aswewerebothconvincedthatthehollowsofthelinkswerealivewithhiddenspiesuponourmovements，wehopedthatourappearancewiththeboxmightleadtoaparley，and，perhaps，acompromise。
　　Itwasnearlythreewhenweissuedfromthepavilion。Therainhadtakenoff；thesunshonequitecheerfully。Ihadneverseenthegullsflysocloseaboutthehouseorapproachsofearlesslytohumanbeings。Ontheverydoorsteponeflappedheavilypastourheads，anduttereditswildcryinmyveryear。
　　“Thereisanomenforyou，“saidNorthmour，wholikeallfreethinkerswasmuchundertheinfluenceofsuperstition。“Theythinkwearealreadydead。“
　　Imadesomelightrejoinder，butitwaswithhalfmyheart；forthecircumstancehadimpressedme。
　　Ayardortwobeforethegate，onapatchofsmoothturf，wesetdownthedispatchbox；andNorthmourwavedawhitehandkerchiefoverhishead。Nothingreplied。Weraisedourvoices，andcriedaloudinItalianthatwewerethereasambassadorstoarrangethequarrel，butthestillnessremainedunbrokensavebytheseagullsandthesurf。Ihadaweightatmyheartwhenwedesisted；andI
　　sawthatevenNorthmourwasunusuallypale。Helookedoverhisshouldernervously，asthoughhefearedthatsomeonehadcreptbetweenhimandthepaviliondoor。
　　“ByGod，“hesaidinawhisper，“thisistoomuchforme！“
　　Irepliedinthesamekey:“Supposethereshouldbenone，afterall！“
　　“Lookthere，“hereturned，noddingwithhishead，asthoughhehadbeenafraidtopoint。
　　Iglancedinthedirectionindicated；andthere，fromthenorthernquarteroftheSea-Wood，beheldathincolumnofsmokerisingsteadilyagainstthenowcloudlesssky。
　　“Northmour，“Isaidwestillcontinuedtotalkinwhispers，“itisnotpossibletoendurethissuspense。Ipreferdeathfiftytimesover。Stayyouheretowatchthepavilion；Iwillgoforwardandmakesure，ifIhavetowalkrightintotheircamp。“
　　Helookedonceagainallroundhimwithpuckeredeyes，andthennoddedassentinglytomyproposal。
　　MyheartheatlikeasledgehammerasIsetoutwalkingrapidlyinthedirectionofthesmoke；and，thoughuptothatmomentIhadfeltchillandshivering，Iwassuddenlyconsciousofaglowofheatallovermybody。Thegroundinthisdirectionwasveryuneven；ahundredmenmighthavelainhiddeninasmanysquareyardsaboutmypath。ButIwhohadnotpracticedthebusinessinvain，chosesuchroutesascutattheveryrootofconcealment，and，bykeepingalongthemostconvenientridges，commandedseveralhollowsatatime。ItwasnotlongbeforeIwasrewardedformycaution。Comingsuddenlyontoamoundsomewhatmoreelevatedthanthesurroundinghummocks，Isaw，notthirtyyardsaway，amanbentalmostdouble，andrunningasfastashisattitudepermitted，alongthebottomofagully。Ihaddislodgedoneofthespiesfromhisambush。AssoonasIsightedhim，IcalledloudlybothinEnglishandItalian；andhe，seeingconcealmentwasnolongerpossible，straightenedhimselfout，leapedfromthegully，andmadeoffasstraightasanarrowforthebordersofthewood。Itwasnoneofmybusinesstopursue；IhadlearnedwhatIwanted——thatwewerebeleagueredandwatchedinthepavilion；andIreturnedatonce，andwalkedasnearlyaspossibleinmyoldfootsteps，towhereNorthmourawaitedmebesidethedispatchbox。HewasevenpalerthanwhenIhadlefthim，andhisvoiceshookalittle。
　　“Couldyouseewhathewaslike？“heasked。
　　“Hekepthisbackturned，“Ireplied。
　　“Letusgetintothehouse，Frank。Idon’tthinkI’macoward，butIcanstandnomoreofthis，“hewhispered。
　　Allwasstillandsunshinyaboutthepavilion，asweturnedtoreenterit；eventhegullshadflowninawidercircuit，andwereseenflickeringalongthebeachandsandhills；andthislonelinessterrifiedmemorethanaregimentunderarms。ItwasnotuntilthedoorwasbarricadedthatIcoulddrawafullinspirationandrelievetheweightthatlayuponmybosom。NorthmourandI
　　exchangedasteadyglance；andIsupposeeachmadehisownreflectionsonthewhiteandstartledaspectoftheother。
　　“Youwereright，“Isaid。“Allisover。Shakehands，oldman，forthelasttime。“
　　“Yes，“repliedhe，“Iwillshakehands；for，assureasIamhere，Ibearnomalice。But，remember，if，bysomeimpossibleaccident，weshouldgivethesliptotheseblackguards，I’lltaketheupperhandofyoubyfairorfoul。“
　　“Oh，“saidI，“youwearyme！“
　　Heseemedhurt，andwalkedawayinsilencetothefootofthestairs，wherehepaused。
　　“Youdonotunderstand，“saidhe。“Iamnotaswindler，andI
　　guardmyself；thatisall。Imaywearyyouornot，Mr。Cassilis，I
　　donotcarearush；Ispeakformyownsatisfaction，andnotforyouramusement。Youhadbettergoupstairsandcourtthegirl；formypart，Istayhere。“
　　“AndIstaywithyou，“Ireturned。“DoyouthinkIwouldstealamarch，evenwithyourpermission？“
　　“Frank，“hesaid，smiling，“it’sapityyouareanass，foryouhavethemakingsofaman。IthinkImustbefeyto-day；youcannotirritatemeevenwhenyoutry。Doyouknow，“hecontinuedsoftly，“IthinkwearethetwomostmiserablemeninEngland，youandI？wehavegotontothirtywithoutwifeorchild，orsomuchasashoptolookafter——poor，pitiful，lostdevils，both！Andnowweclashaboutagirl！AsiftherewerenotseveralmillionsintheUnitedKingdom！Ah，Frank，Frank，theonewholoseshisthrow，beityouorme，hehasmypity！Itwerebetterforhim——howdoestheBiblesay？——thatamillstonewerehangedabouthisneckandhewerecastintothedepthofthesea。Letustakeadrink，“heconcludedsuddenly，butwithoutanylevityoftone。
　　Iwastouchedbyhiswords，andconsented。Hesatdownonthetableinthedining-room，andhelduptheglassofsherrytohiseye。
　　“Ifyoubeatme，Frank，“hesaid，“Ishalltaketodrink。Whatwillyoudo，ifitgoestheotherway？“
　　“Godknows，“Ireturned。
　　“Well，“saidhe，“hereisatoastinthemeantime:’Italiairredenta！’“
　　Theremainderofthedaywaspassedinthesamedreadfultediumandsuspense。Ilaidthetablefordinner，whileNorthmourandClarapreparedthemealtogetherinthekitchen。IcouldheartheirtalkasIwenttoandfro，andwassurprisedtofinditranallthetimeuponmyself。Northmouragainbracketedustogether，andralliedClaraonachoiceofhusbands；buthecontinuedtospeakofmewithsomefeeling，andutterednothingtomyprejudiceunlessheincludedhimselfinthecondemnation。Thisawakenedasenseofgratitudeinmyheart，whichcombinedwiththeimmediatenessofourperiltofillmyeyeswithtears。Afterall，Ithought——andperhapsthethoughtwaslaughablyvain——wewereherethreeverynoblehumanbeingstoperishindefenseofathievingbanker。
　　Beforewesatdowntotable，Ilookedforthfromanupstairswindow。Thedaywasbeginningtodecline；thelinkswereutterlydeserted；thedispatchboxstilllayuntouchedwherewehadleftithoursbefore。
　　Mr。Huddlestone，inalongyellowdressinggown，tookoneendofthetable，Claratheother；whileNorthmourandIfacedeachotherfromthesides。Thelampwasbrightlytrimmed；thewinewasgood；
　　theviands，althoughmostlycold，excellentoftheirsort。Weseemedtohaveagreedtacitly；allreferencetotheimpendingcatastrophewascarefullyavoided；and，consideringourtragiccircumstances，wemadeamerrierpartythancouldhavebeenexpected。Fromtimetotime，itistrue，NorthmourorIwouldrisefromtableandmakearoundofthedefenses；and，oneachoftheseoccasions，Mr。Huddlestonewasrecalledtoasenseofhistragicpredicament，glancedupwithghastlyeyes，andboreforaninstantonhiscountenancethestampofterror。Buthehastenedtoemptyhisglass，wipedhisforeheadwithhishandkerchief，andjoinedagainintheconversation。
　　Iwasastonishedatthewitandinformationhedisplayed。Mr。