Taynton, though not really of an over sanguine disposition, certainly
hoped to make good the greater part if not all of their somewhat large
defalcations. He had bought an option of 20,000 shares, the option of
which cost (or would cost at the end of those months) rather over
£10,000. In other words, the moment that the shares rose to a price
higher than £6 3s, all further appreciation was pure gain. If they did
not rise so high, he would of course not exercise the option, and
sacrifice the money.

That was certainly a very unpleasant thing to contemplate, but it had
been more unpleasant when, so far as he knew, Morris was on the verge of
matrimony, and would then step into the management of his own affairs.
But bad though it all was, the situation had certainly been immensely
ameliorated this evening, since on the one hand his partner had, it was
not unreasonable to hope, said to Madge's father things about Morris that
made his marriage with Madge exceedingly unlikely, while on the other
hand, even if it happened, his affairs, according to his own wish, would
remain in Mr. Taynton's hands with the same completeness as heretofore.
It would, of course, be necessary to pay him his income, and though this
would be a great strain on the finances of the two partners, it was
manageable. Besides (Mr. Taynton sincerely hoped that this would not be
necessary) the money which was Mrs. Assheton's for her lifetime was in
his hands also, so if the worst came to the worst--

Now the composition and nature of the extraordinary animal called man is
so unexpected and unlikely that any analysis of Mr. Taynton's character
may seem almost grotesque. It is a fact nevertheless that his was a
nature capable of great things, it is also a fact that he had long ago
been deeply and bitterly contrite for the original dishonesty of using
the money of his client. But by aid of those strange perversities of