to the fullest extent, the people upon whom you depend.  They are worthy of it.  An instant’s reflection will show you that neither of you would be proof against a strong temptation.  For the sake of recovering a sum of money you have compounded with felony.  All of you are at this moment in breach of the law.  You have submitted without a struggle to the dominant impulse.  The principle of exact honor which you demand in me does not exist in yourselves.  But let us end this disagreeable scene.  Perhaps I have demonstrated something that you never realized.  I hope you understand.  I now surrender to you the one hundred thousand dollars, which you thought I had stolen.  I had no intention of keeping it; I only pretended to take it in order to impress you with my ideas.”

Every director arose to his feet in haste.  Fields placed another packet upon the table, and, in face of the astonished board, left the apartment.

An hour afterward he was again summoned to the parlor.  He advanced to his old position at the end of the table.  It was clear that the temper of the assembly was favorable to him.

“Mr. Fields,” said the president, “your attack upon us was singular and rapid, and I think it has made the mark that you intended it should.  Your mode of convincing us was, one might say, dramatic; and, though I believe you might have attained your object in another way, we acknowledge that your letter had but little effect.  We now wish to provide for you as you claim, and as you deserve.  But we cannot look upon you with quietude.  It is almost impossible to see you without shuddering.  We must place you elsewhere.  If you remained here, you would always be in close proximity to a quarter of a million dollars.”

“But you believe in my integrity?”

“Perfectly.”

“You understand my motives?”

“Fully.”

“And you acknowledge them to be just?”

“Unqualifiedly just.”

“Well?”

“But you personify a terrible threat.  You are an exponent of a great danger, and you could not ask us to live with one who showed that he held a sword above our heads.  That would be impossible.  We therefore offer you the position of actuary in the ——­ Life.  Mr. Stuart is about to resign it, and at our request he has consented to procure you the chair.  Your salary will be thrice that you now receive.  Do you accept?”

“Without an instant’s hesitation,” replied Fields.

He then shook hands with each director, and they separated excellent friends.

* * * * *

Fields winged his way to the farm in the country, and told the news.  That is, he told the best of it.  He told the actual news after hours, when there was but one to tell it to.

There was a shriek.

“Oh, if they had!”

“Had what—­Sun and Moon!”

“Why, sent you to prison.”

“Well, we should have had to wait ten years, that’s all.  After that, we should have been worth, with interest added to the capital, five hundred and sixty thousand dollars.”