“I question it,” observed the Doctor, drily. “Would they cash you two notes for a thousand each?”
“Yes—yes: assuredly they would,” was the prompt answer.
“And you must know other places——”
“Several—several,” interrupted Green, anticipating the remainder of the questions. “But would it not be shorter to go to the Bank of England at once?”
“Well—I think it would,” responded Jack.
“Unless—unless—there’s any fear—any danger, I mean—I——”
“Curse upon your fears and dangers!” ejaculated the hare-lipped villain, savagely: “there are none at all—only, as I just now said, I can’t go myself. But if you can get ten thousand changed to-morrow, you may have one thousand for your own purposes.”
Mr. Green could not find words to express his gratitude in return for this assurance: he was overwhelmed with a delight which he had not experienced for years. The thought of emancipating himself from the thraldom of his despot-master was too brilliant—too dazzling to gaze upon. He could not believe that there was anything beyond a mere chance in his favour:—that the matter was a certainty, he dared not imagine.
But when Jack Rily displayed a few of the notes, and mysteriously hinted that they were the produce of a forgery which could not possibly be detected, Mr. Green started from his chair, and actually danced for joy!