‘What! the title-deeds of Greshamsbury for a few thousand pounds?’ said the doctor.

’I don’t know whether you call ninety thousand pounds a few thousands; but the debt will about amount to that.’

‘Ah! that’s the old debt.’

’Old and new together, of course; every shilling I lend more weakens my security for what I have lent before.’

‘But you have the first claim, Sir Roger.’

’It ought to be first and last to cover such a debt as that.  If he wants further accommodation, he must part with his deeds, doctor.’

The point was argued backwards and forwards for some time without avail, and the doctor then thought it well to introduce the other subject.

‘Sir Roger, you’re a hard man.’

‘No I ain’t,’ said Sir Roger; ’not a bit hard; that is, not a bit too hard.  Money is always hard.  I know I found it hard to come by; and there is no reason why Squire Gresham should expect to find me so very soft.’

’Very well; there is an end of that.  I thought you would have done as much to oblige me, that is all.’

‘What! take bad security too oblige you?’

‘Well, there’s an end of that.’

’I’ll tell you what; I’ll do as much to oblige a friend as any one.  I’ll lend you five thousand pounds, you yourself, without security at all, if you want it.’

‘But you know I don’t want it; or, at any rate, shan’t take it.’

’But to ask me to go on lending money to a third party, and he over head and ears in debt, by way of obliging you, why, it’s a little too much.’

’Well, there’s and end of it.  Now I’ve something to say to you about that will of yours.’

‘Oh! that’s settled.’

’No, Scatcherd; it isn’t settled.  It must be a great deal more settled before we have done with it, as you’ll find when you hear what I have to tell you.’

‘What you have to tell me!’ said Sir Roger, sitting up in bed; ’and what have you to tell me?’

‘Your will says you sister’s eldest child.’

’Yes; but that’s only in the event of Louis Philippe dying before he is twenty-five.’

’Exactly; and now I know something about your sister’s eldest child, and, therefore, I have come to tell you.’

‘You know something about Mary’s eldest child?’

’I do, Scatcherd; it is a strange story, and maybe it will make you angry.  I cannot help it if it does so.  I should not tell you this if I could avoid it; but as I do tell you, for your sake, as you will see, and not for my own, I must implore you not to tell my secret to others.’

Sir Roger now looked at him with an altered countenance.  There was something in his voice of the authoritative tone of other days, something in the doctor’s look which had on the baronet the same effect which in former days it had sometimes had on the stone-mason.

’Can you give me a promise, Scatcherd, that what I am about to tell you shall not be repeated?’