‘I had rather not—­but I will if you insist.’

Old Selby looked into the brave, clear eyes of his daughter, and he did not insist.

’Look here!  You’ve got your own little banking account, have you not?’

‘Yes, dad.’

‘That’s right.  Never mix it up with your husband’s.’  He scribbled a cheque.  ’Pay that in!  It is for five hundred pounds.  I will sell half your debentures and charge you with brokerage.  I believe in strict business between relatives.  When you pay back the five hundred pounds, your allowance will be fifty a year once more.’

Maude then and there endorsed the cheque and posted it to her bank.  Then with a final embrace to her father, she hastened out to further victories.  Jack Selby was smoking a cigarette upon the doorstep.

’Hullo, Maude!  Calling up the reserves?  What’s the matter?  Jolly lucky it wasn’t my day on duty.  You girls think a soldier has nothing to do.  It was so once, but we are all scientific blokes now.  No, thank you, I won’t see the dad!  He’d think I had come for money, and it would upset him for the day.’

Maude took her brother in the cab with her, and told him the whole story of Frank’s misfortune, with some account of her own intentions.  Jack was vastly interested.

‘What did dad say about it?’

‘I didn’t tell him.  I thought Frank would rather not.’

’Quite right.  He won’t mind me.  He knows I’m a bit of a business man myself.  Only signed a paper once in my life, and quite a small paper too, and I haven’t heard the last of it yet.  The thing wasn’t much bigger than a postcard, but the fuss those people made afterwards!  I suppose they’ve been worrying Frank.’

‘We have had no peace for months.’

’Worry is bad for the young.  But he should not mind.  He should go on fizzing like I did.  Now we’ll put this thing through together, Maude.  I see your line, and I’ll ride it with you.’

They found Mr. Owen at home, and Maude did the talking.

’I am convinced, Mr. Owen, that they don’t want to go into court.  Mr. Wingfield coming down like that proves it.  My husband is too proud to bargain with them, but I have no scruples.  Don’t you think that I might go to Mr. Wingfield myself, and pay the three hundred and forty pounds, and so have done with the worry for ever?’

‘Speaking as a lawyer,’ said Owen, ’I think that it is very irregular.  Speaking as a man, I think no harm could come of it.  But I should not like you to offer the whole sum.  Simply say that you are prepared for a reasonable compromise, and ask them to suggest what is the lowest sum which the office would accept to close the business.’

‘You leave it with me,’ said Jack, winking at the lawyer.  ’I am seeing her through.  I’ll keep her on the rails.  I am Number 1, Class A, at business.  We’ll take ’em up one link in the curb if they try any games with us!  Come on, Maude, and get it over.’