‘Well, Farintosh?’

’Well, Mr. Crosse, I have come round to tell you, and you too, missus, the sorrow I feel that I have brought this trouble upon you.  I hoped all would have gone right after that last time, but I’ve had to pay up back debts, and that’s what has put me wrong.  I’ve never had what one may call a fair chance.  But I’m really sorry, sir, that you who have, as one might say, befriended me, should have to suffer for it in this way.’

’Words won’t mend it, Farintosh.  I only blame you for not coming to me when first things began to go wrong.’

’Well, sir, I was always hoping that I could turn them right again, so as you wouldn’t need to be troubled at all.  And so it went from bad to worse until we find ourselves here.  But what I wanted to ask you, Mr. Crosse, was what you meant to do about it?’

Frank writhed before this home question.

‘Well, I suppose I am responsible,’ said he.

‘You mean to pay the money, sir?’

‘Well, somebody must pay it.’

‘Do you remember the wording of the bond, Mr. Crosse?’

‘Not the exact wording.’

’Well, sir, I should advise you to get your lawyer to read it.  In my opinion, sir, you are not liable at all.’

‘Not liable!’ Frank felt as if his heart had turned suddenly from a round-shot to an air-balloon.  ‘Why not liable?’

’You were a little slapdashy, if one might say so, in matters of business, sir, and perhaps you read that bond less carefully than I did.  There was a clause in it by which the Company agreed frequently and periodically to audit my accounts, so as to prevent your liability being at any time a very high one.’

‘So there was!’ cried Frank.  ‘Well, didn’t they?’

‘No, sir, they didn’t.’

’By Jove—­Maude, do you hear that?—­if that is right, they brought their own misfortunes upon themselves.  Do you mean to say they never audited you?’

‘Yes, sir, they did so four times.’

‘In how long?’

‘In fourteen months.’

The air-balloon was gone and the cannon-ball back in its place once more.

‘That will be held to exonerate them.’

’No, sir, I think not.  “Frequently and periodically” does not mean four times in fourteen months.’

‘A jury might take it so.’

’Consider, sir, that the object was that your liability should be limited.  Thousands of pounds were passing through my hands in that time, and therefore these four audits were, as one might say, insufficient for the object of the bond.’

‘So I think,’ cried Maude, with conviction.  ’Frank, we’ll have the best advice upon the subject to-morrow.’

‘And meanwhile, Mr. Crosse,’ said Farintosh, rising from his chair, ’I am your witness, whether the Company prosecutes me or not.  And I hope that this will be some humble atonement for the trouble that I have brought you.’