“I am glad to hear you say so, and to tell the truth, Mr. Tremorne, it is just the action I should expect of you.”
“What action?”
“The returning of the money, of course.”
“Bless my soul, you don’t suppose I’m going to return a penny of it, do you?”
“Ah, your honesty is theory then, not practice.”
“My dear sir, my honesty is both theory and practice. The money is mine. I made you no promises regarding it. In fact, I refused to make any promise when you offered me half the amount. If I had made any engagements I should have kept them.”
“I see. I take it then you do not regard yourself as bound by any promises the old man made on your behalf?”
“Certainly not. I knew nothing of the matter until you showed me his letter.”
“Your position is perfectly sound, Mr. Tremorne, and I unreservedly withdraw the imputation I put upon your honesty a moment since. But the truth is that this amount represents a very serious loss to me. It was a sprat thrown out to catch a whale, or, rather, a whale thrown out to catch a shoal of whales. But if I lose the whale and do not catch my shoal, then I have done a very bad piece of business by coming East. Through this proposed combine I expected to make several millions. Now, if you will join in with me, and put your half-million into the pool, I’ll guarantee that before a month you have doubled it.”
“You gave me a chance like that once before, Mr. Cammerford.”