“And, upon whom the benefit, for which the risk will be incurred?” pointedly returned Mr. Verrall.
“It seems to me that I don’t get the lion’s share of these benefits,” was George’s remark.
“Sit down, I say. Can’t you be still? Here, take some more wine. There: now let us talk it over.”
And talk it over they did, as may be inferred. For it was a full hour afterwards when George came out. He leaped into the cab, which had waited, telling the man that he must drive as if he were going through fire and water. The man did so: and George arrived at the Paddington station just in time to lose his train.
CHAPTER VII.
BEYOND RECALL.
The clerks were at a stand-still in the banking-house of Godolphin, Crosse, and Godolphin. A certain iron safe had to be opened, and the key was not to be found. There were duplicate keys to it; one of them was kept by Mr. Godolphin, the other by Mr. George. Mr. Hurde, the cashier, appealed to Isaac Hastings.
“Do you think it has not been left with Mrs. George Godolphin?”
“I’ll ask her,” replied Isaac, getting off his stool. “I don’t think it has: or she would have given it to me when she informed me of Mr. George Godolphin’s absence.”
He went into the dining-room: that pleasant room, which it was almost a shame to designate by the name. Maria was listlessly standing against the window-frame, plucking mechanically the fading blossoms of a geranium. She turned her head at the opening of the door, and saw her brother.
“Isaac, what time does the first train come in?”