“But I cannot; even if I will, I cannot,” said he, almost wringing his hands in his perplexity.  “It was on condition of my taking up those mortgages that Ida consented to become engaged to me, and I have promised that I will cancel them on our wedding.  Will you not take money instead?”

“Yes,” answered Mr. Quest, “I would take money.  A little time ago I would not have taken it because I wanted that property; now I have changed my ideas.  But as you yourself said, your credit is strained to the utmost, and while your father is alive you will not find it possible to raise another thirty thousand pounds.  Besides, if this matter is to be settled at all it must be settled at once.  I will not wait while you make attempts to raise the money.”

“But about the mortgages?  I promised to keep them.  What shall I say to Ida?”

“Say?  Say nothing.  You can meet them if you choose after your father’s death.  Refuse if you like, but if you refuse you will be mad.  Thirty thousand pounds will be nothing to you, but exposure will be ruin.  Have you made up your mind?  You must take my offer or leave it.  Sign the documents and I will put the originals of those two letters into your hands; refuse and I will take my steps.”

Edward Cossey thought for a moment and then said, “I will sign.  Let me see the papers.”

Mr. Quest turned aside to hide the expression of triumph which flitted across his face and then handed him the deeds.  They were elaborately drawn, for he was a skilful legal draughtsman, quite as skilful as many a leading Chancery conveyancer, but the substance of them was that the mortgages were transferred to him by the said Edward Cossey in and for the consideration that he, the said William M. Quest, consented to abandon for ever a pending action for divorce against his wife, Belle Quest, whereto the said Edward Cossey was to be joined as co-respondent.

“You will observe,” said Mr. Quest, “that if you attempt to contest the validity of this assignment, which you probably could not do with any prospect of success, the attempt must recoil upon your own head, because the whole scandal will then transpire.  We shall require some witnesses, so with your permission I will ring the bell and ask the landlady and your servant to step up.  They need know nothing of the contents of the papers,” and he did so.

“Stop,” said Edward presently.  “Where are the original letters?”

“Here,” answered Mr. Quest, producing them from an inner pocket, and showing them to him at a distance.  “When the landlady comes up I will give them to her to hold in this envelope, directing her to hand them to you when the deeds are signed and witnessed.  She will think that it is part of the ceremony.”

Presently the man-servant and the landlady arrived, and Mr. Quest, in his most matter-of-fact way, explained to them that they were required to witness some documents.  At the same time he handed the letters to the woman, saying that she was to give them to Mr. Cossey when they had all done signing.