"No."

"What, not in that safe there?"

"Certainly not," said Hardie stoutly.

"My money! My money!" cried David fiercely. "No more words. I know you
now. I _saw_ you put it in that safe. You want to steal my children's
money. My money, ye pirate, or I'll strangle you!"

While Hardie unlocked the safe with trembling hands, Dodd stood like a
man petrified; the next moment his teeth gnashed loudly together, and he
fell headlong on the floor in a fit. So the £14,000 remained with the
banker.

Not many days after this a crowd stood in front of the old bank, looking
at the shutters, and a piece of paper announcing a suspension, only for
a month or so.

Many things now came to Alfred Hardie's knowledge till he began to
shudder at his own father, and was troubled with dark, mysterious
surmises, and wandered alone, or sat brooding and dejected. Richard
Hardie's anxiety to know whether David Dodd was to live or die
increased. He was now resolved to fly to the United States with his
booty, and cheat his son with the rest. On his putting a smooth inquiry
to Alfred, his face flushed with shame or anger, and he gave a very
short, obscure reply. So he invited the doctor to dinner, and elicited
the information that David's life indeed was saved, but he was a maniac;
and his sister, a sensible, resolute woman, had signed the certificate,