“So this is how we stand,” said Warburton, grimly.  “It’s all over.”

Sherwood laid on the table a number of bank-notes, saying simply: 

“There’s two hundred and sixty pounds—­the result of the sale of my furniture and things.  Will you use that and trust me a little longer?”

Warburton writhed in his chair.

“What have you to live upon?” he asked with eyes downcast.

“Oh, I shall get on all right.  I’ve one or two ideas.”

“But this is all the money you have?”

“I’ve kept about fifty pounds,” answered the other, “out of which I can pay my debts—­they’re small—­and the rent of my house for this quarter.”

Warburton pushed back the notes.

“I can’t take it—­you know I can’t.”

“You must.”

“How the devil are you going to live?” cried Will, in exasperation.

“I shall find a way,” replied Sherwood with an echo of his old confident tone.  “I need a little time to look about me, that’s all, There’s a relative of mine, an old fellow who lives comfortably in North Wales, and who invites me down every two or three years.  The best thing will be for me to go and spend a short time with him, and get my nerves into order—­I’m shaky, there’s no disguising it.  I haven’t exhausted all the possibilities of raising money; there’s hope still in one or two directions; if I get a little quietness and rest I shall be able to think things out more clearly Don’t you think this justifiable?”

As to the money he remained inflexible.  Very reluctantly Warburton consented to keep this sum, giving a receipt in form.

“You haven’t said anything to Mrs. Warburton yet?” asked Sherwood nervously.

“Not yet,” muttered Will.

“I wish you could postpone it a little longer.  Could you—­do you think—­without too much strain of conscience?  Doesn’t it seem a pity—­when any day may enable me to put things right?”

Will muttered again that he would think of it; that assuredly he preferred not to disclose the matter if it could decently be kept secret.  And on this Sherwood took his leave, going away with a brighter face than he had brought to the interview; whilst Will remained brooding gloomily, his eyes fixed on the bank-notes, in an unconscious stare.

Little of a man of business as he was, Warburton knew very well that things at the office were passing in a flagrantly irregular way:  he knew that any one else in his position would have put this serious affair into legal hands, if only out of justice to Sherwood himself.  More than once he had thought of communicating with Mr. Turnbull, but shame withheld him.  It seemed improbable, too, that the solicitor would connive at keeping his friends at The Haws ignorant of what had befallen them, and with every day that passed Will felt more disposed to hide that catastrophe, if by any means that were possible.  Already he had half committed himself to this deception, having