RANDAL.—“Hist! you mistake, you mistake!”
SQUIRE (leaving Randal’s arm and seizing Levy’s).—“Were you speaking of Frank Hazeldean?”
BARON.—“My dear sir, excuse me, I never mention names before strangers.”
SQUIRE.—“Strangers again! Man, I am the boy’s father Speak out, sir,” and his hand closed on Levy’s arm with the strength of an iron vice.
BARON.—“Gently; you hurt me, sir: but I excuse your feelings. Randal, you are to blame for leading me into this indiscretion; but I beg to assure Mr. Hazeldean, that though his son has been a little extravagant—”
RANDAL.—“Owing chiefly to the arts of an abandoned woman.”
BARON.—“Of an abandoned woman;—still he has shown more prudence than you would suppose; and this very post-obit is a proof of it. A simple act of that kind has enabled him to pay off bills that were running on till they would have ruined even the Hazeldean estate; whereas a charge on the reversion of the Casino—”
SQUIRE.—“He has done it then? He has signed a postobit?”
RANDAL.—“No, no, Levy must be wrong.”
BARON.—“My dear Leslie, a man of Mr. Hazeldean’s time of life cannot have your romantic boyish notions. He must allow that Frank has acted in this like a lad of sense—very good head for business has my young friend Frank! And the best thing Mr. Hazeldean can do is quietly to buy up the post-obit, and thus he will place his son henceforth in his power.”