coolly, "burn them; then they will tell no tale."

Crawley shrieked: "No, no, sir! Don't think of it, give them to me, and
in twelve hours I will be in France!"

Meadows hesitated, and then agreed to give him the notes on condition
Crawley went to France that very day.

Crawley kept faith. He hugged his treasure to his bosom, and sat down at
the railway-station waiting for the train.

Old Isaac Levi was there, and a police officer whom Crawley knew.

"You have £7,000 about you, Mr. Crawley," whispered Isaac in his ear.
"Stolen! Give it up to the police officer. Stolen by him, received by
you. Give it up unless you prefer a public search. Here is a search
warrant from the mayor."

"I won't without Mr. Meadows' authority. Send for Mr. Meadows, if you
dare!"

"Well, we will take you to Mr. Meadows. Keep the money till you see him,
but we must secure you. Let us go in a carriage."

Meantime, Mr. Meadows had gone to the bank, and had made over the sum of
£7,000 to George Fielding and Thomas Robinson. Then he hastened to the
church, for it was his wedding-day, and every delay was dangerous.

The parson was late, and while Meadows stood waiting outside the church,
along with old Merton and his daughter, and a crowd of neighbours,