All through the night before Isaac had not slept. Daisy knew this, for his bed was undisturbed. He had not taken off his clothes or lain down at all. The old slavery to gold was tugging at his heartstrings, and he could not rest. At breakfast he seemed fractious and miserable.
Mrs. Roper appeared afterwards for a few minutes. She knew how things were, and she and her husband were very sorry for Daisy's new anxiety. Mrs. Roper hoped to have a few words with Isaac about investing the money that was coming to him; but when she spoke, she found his mind to be in a hopelessly stolid and dense condition. He either could not or would not understand a word that she uttered.
Then Mrs. Roper went away, and Mr. Marriott's agent and attorney came in. The business was very soon completed. Old Meadow belonged no more to Isaac Meads; but Isaac sat in the parlour, a bundle of bank-notes clasped in one withered hand, a small bag of gold pieces hugged to him by the other, and an expression of stealthy satisfaction in his face.
"Father, we must put this into the Bank for you," said Daisy.
Isaac looked up at her, chuckling. "Gold—gold, Daisy," he said exultingly. "Fifty pieces of gold in here, and lots more when I've changed all the bank-notes. Gold, Daisy!"
"Father, we must put all this money into the Bank at once, or it will be stolen," said Daisy steadily. "Then we can think what to do with it. Mr. Roper will advise us."
"I'm not a-going to have one penny of it in a Bank," retorted Isaac loudly. "The Banks are always a-failing. I'll keep it myself, so as no one shall get at it. I'll change all the notes for gold as soon as ever I can, and I'll lock it up safe—safe, Daisy."
"But the last was not safe," said Daisy. "It was stolen, in spite of all you could do. And there will be no secret places in our new home, father. And if the money is properly invested, Mr. Roper says it will bring in enough for you and me to live on; but if we keep it locked up and use it bit by bit, it will by-and-by be all gone."
"I'm not a-going to use it," said Isaac, "nor to spend it. I'm going to lock it up safe, so as nobody shall get at it."
"But, father, we have nothing else to live upon," said Daisy.