“The best reason I know of is—for value received. But this doesn't apply. You allowed it wasn't a debt, so Bob has got no value.”
“One sometimes pays for value one expects to get.”
Sadie laughed scornfully. “If that's what Bob has done, he'll get badly stung. There's nothing coming to him from a deal with you. I guess you don't claim he made you a present of the money?”
“I don't,” said Wilkinson, with a frown, for he thought he saw where she was leading him.
“Very well. One pays for something one has got or is going to get, and as we can rule out both reasons, the cheque is bad. In fact, it's not worth keeping. Better give it me back.”
“Your argument looks all right, Mrs. Charnock, but you don't start from sure ground. How do you know there's nothing coming to your husband?”
“I know you,” Sadie rejoined. “Anyhow, the cheque is certainly bad. They'll turn it down if you take it to the bank.”
Wilkinson made an abrupt movement. “You can't stop your husband's cheque. You don't mean he hasn't the dollars to meet it?”
“I don't,” said Sadie, with an angry flush. “Bob is honest. The money's there, but if you think the bank will pay when I tell them not, go and see. The manager knows me and he knows you.”
Wilkinson saw that he was beaten, but tried to hide his anger. “Well, it looks as if Bob was lucky. He has a wife who will take care of him, and I reckon he needs something of the kind. However, here's the cheque; I want a receipt.”