“I cannot tell you how often he has attempted to get that money from me.  He has bullied, cajoled, threatened, coaxed, done all that a man could do.  I still held it with the presentiment that a need for it would come.  When I heard of this villainous business, his flight, and his leaving his partner to face the storm, above all that my old friend had been driven to surrender his income in order to make up for my brother’s defalcations, I felt that now indeed I had a need for it.  I sent in Charles yesterday to Mr. McAdam, and his client, upon hearing the facts of the case, very graciously consented to give back the papers, and to take the money which he had advanced.  Not a word of thanks to me, Admiral.  I tell you that it was very cheap benevolence, for it was all done with his own money, and how could I use it better?

“I thought that I should probably hear from him soon, and I did.  Last evening there was handed in a note of the usual whining, cringing tone.  He had come back from abroad at the risk of his life and liberty, just in order that he might say good-bye to the only sister he ever had, and to entreat my forgiveness for any pain which he had caused me.  He would never trouble me again, and he begged only that I would hand over to him the sum which I held in trust for him.  That, with what he had already, would be enough to start him as an honest man in the new world, when he would ever remember and pray for the dear sister who had been his savior.  That was the style of the letter, and it ended by imploring me to leave the window-latch open, and to be in the front room at three in the morning, when he would come to receive my last kiss and to bid me farewell.

“Bad as he was, I could not, when he trusted me, betray him.  I said nothing, but I was there at the hour.  He entered through the window, and implored me to give him the money.  He was terribly changed; gaunt, wolfish, and spoke like a madman.  I told him that I had spent the money.  He gnashed his teeth at me, and swore it was his money.  I told him that I had spent it on him.  He asked me how.  I said in trying to make him an honest man, and in repairing the results of his villainy.  He shrieked out a curse, and pulling something out of the breast of his coat—­a loaded stick, I think—­he struck me with it, and I remembered nothing more.”

“The blackguard!” cried the Doctor, “but the police must be hot upon his track.”

“I fancy not,” Mrs. Westmacott answered calmly.  “As my brother is a particularly tall, thin man, and as the police are looking for a short, fat one, I do not think that it is very probable that they will catch him.  It is best, I think, that these little family matters should be adjusted in private.”

“My dear ma’am,” said the Admiral, “if it is indeed this man’s money that has bought back my pension, then I can have no scruples about taking it.  You have brought sunshine upon us, ma’am, when the clouds were at their darkest, for here is my boy who insists upon returning the money which I got.  He can keep it now to pay his debts.  For what you have done I can only ask God to bless you, ma’am, and as to thanking you I can’t even——­”