“No—I make him only a clever rogue, which, by your own account, he is.”
“And the more clever he is, the more he will have his wits’ work for naught. There’s some compensation in everything—even in failure!” 229
“It would be a bit annoying,” observed Macloud, “to be visited by burglars, who are obsessed with the idea that you have a fortune concealed on the premises, and are bent on obtaining it.”
“Annoying?—not a bit!” smiled Croyden. “I should rather enjoy the sport of putting them to flight.”
“Or of being bound, and gagged, and ill-treated.”
“Bosh! you’ve transferred your robber-barons from Northumberland to the Eastern Shore.”
“No, I haven’t!” laughed Macloud. “The robber-barons were still on the job in Northumberland. These are banditti, disguised as burglars, about to hold you up for ransom.”
“I wish I had your fine imagination,” scoffed Croyden. “I could make a fortune writing fiction.”
“Oh, you’re not so bad yourself!” Macloud retorted. Then he smiled. “Apropos of fortunes!” and nodded toward the envelope on the table. “It’s bully good to think you’re coming back to us!”
At that moment Moses passed along the hall.