“It is my turn now,” whispered Levi; “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.”

“You must look sharp then,” whispered Crawley; “to-morrow perhaps you may not have the chance.”

“I never postpone vengeance—­when it is ripe.”

“Don’t you, sir? dear me.”

“You have seven thousand pounds about you, Mr. Crawley.”

Crawley started and trembled.  “Stolen!” whispered Isaac in his very ear.  “Give it up to the officer.”

Crawley rose instinctively.  A firm hand was laid on each of his arms; he sat down again.  “What—­what—–­ever money I have is trusted to me by the wealthiest and most respectable man in the cou—­nty, and—­”

“Stolen by him, received by you!  Give it to Wood, unless you prefer a public search.”

“You can’t search me without a warrant.”

“Here is a warrant from the mayor.  Take the notes out of your left breast and give them to the officer, or we must do it by force and publicity.”

“I won’t without Mr. Meadows’ authority.  Send for Mr. Meadows if you dare.”  Isaac reflected.  “Well! we will take you to Mr. Meadows.  Keep the money till you see him, but we must secure you.  Put his coat over his hands first.”  The great-coat was put over his hands, and the next moment under the coat was heard a little sharp click.

“Let us go to the carriage,” said Levi, in a brisk, cheerful tone.

Those present heard the friendly invitation and saw a little string of acquaintances, three in number, break up a conversation and go and get into a fly; one carried a great-coat and bundle before him with both hands.

CHAPTER LXXXIV.

MR. MEADOWS went to the bank—­into the parlor—­and said he must draw seven thousand pounds of cash and securities.  The partners look blank.

“I know,” said Meadows, “I should cripple you.  Well, I am not going to, nor let any one else—­it would not suit my book.  Just hand me the securities and let me make over that sum to George Fielding and Thomas Robinson.  There! now for some months to come those two men are not to know how rich they are, in fact not till I tell them.”  A very ready consent to this was given by both partners; I am afraid I might say an eager consent.

“There! now I feel another man, that is off me anyway,” and Meadows strode home double the man.  Soon his new top-boots were on, and his new dark blue coat with flat double-gilt buttons, and his hat broadish in the brim, and he looked the model of a British yeoman; he reached Grassmere before eleven o’clock.  It was to be a very quiet wedding, but the bridesmaids, etc., were there, and Susan all in white, pale but very lovely.  Father-in-law cracking jokes, Susan writhing under them.

“Now, then, is it to be a wedding without bells, for I hear none?”

“That it shall not,” cried one of the young men; and off they ran to the church.