"Never! never! I thought it was simply and solely the outcome of his strong friendship for Carson. As to the will leaving me the money in the event of the marriage not taking place, I did not know its contents until Bellairs was dead."
"Well, the money is yours, now, Mr. Brock. Will you take it, knowing how it was earned?"
"My dear friend, believe me, it is superfluous to discuss what I will do with it. I am a dying man. By my will, I have restored the money to Olive; she can deal with it as she pleases."
"In that case it is her intention to restore it to the Indian Government."
"What good will that do?" said the vicar, with a sigh; "there is no Rao of Kikat now--the name, the family, the very kingdom has died out. Let Olive make restitution, if such be her wish, but the money will go into the wrong pockets if she sends it there."
"I don't care whose pockets it enters, neither does she," said Mallow; "the main point is to get rid of it--and there is twenty thousand pounds."
Mr. Brock started. "Only that. I understood----"
"That there was fifty. True enough; but thirty has gone across the seas with Boldini and his wife."
"Boldini! Who is he?"
"I forgot, you don't know the story. It is a long one, Mr. Brock, and not a pretty one for a clergyman to hear."