She stood quite still for a moment, as if not fully understanding what he said. “Not money enough?” she echoed at last. “But, my dear boy, haven’t you cashed the cheque I gave you—the fifty pounds, you know?”
“Yes, aunt, I cashed it. But—I’m dreadfully sorry—there isn’t much of it left—not enough for that.”
Miss Charlotte Carlaw whistled softly, and looked grave. “My dear boy,” she said, “I told you you might spend that money just as you liked, and I’m not going back on my word. But you’re a youngster at this game, evidently, and perhaps I was foolish to give you such a sum all at once. Fifty pounds is a good deal of money, and, although I’m very rich, you mustn’t let it slip quite so quickly as that, Prince Charming. I don’t want you to tell me anything unless you wish, but, in God’s name, boy, what have you done with it? What have you spent it on? I told you to do as you liked with it, but for the life of me I can’t think what you’ve done with that money in a matter of two days unless you’ve lost it. Have you lost it, Comethup?”
“No,” said Comethup, slowly, “I haven’t lost it. I know it seems—seems awfully strange, especially as I only cashed it to-day; I really didn’t want it then.”
“There’s some mystery here,” said Miss Carlaw, “and I think I ought, for your sake, to get at the bottom of it. Devil take the money! I don’t care a pin about it. But what have you done with it? Come, you don’t mind telling me?”
“No,” said Comethup. He had made up his mind that some explanation must be given. “I didn’t want to tell you, but I gave it away, or lent it.”
“Well, go on,” replied Miss Carlaw.
“I gave it—lent it, I mean—to—to an old friend. He was hard up, and he really didn’t want to take it. But he said it would keep him for a year——”
“Poor devil!” ejaculated Miss Carlaw under her breath.