"Just so. But I am afraid I am not prepared to pay off the bill of
sale. The interest, as usual, will be ready."

"Of course it will. But this time the principal must be ready too."

"Can't you get another client to find the money?"

"No, I can't. Money is tight, and your security, Mr. Emblem, isn't so
good as it was."

"The furniture is there, and so is the stock."

"Furniture wears out; as for the stock--who knows what that is worth?
All your books together may not be worth fifty pounds, for what I
know."

"Then what am I to do?"

"Find the money yourself. Come, Mr. Emblem, everybody knows--your
grandson himself told me--all the world knows--you've been for years
saving up for your granddaughter. You told Joe only six months
ago--you can't deny it--that whatever happened to you she would be
well off."

Mr. Emblem did not deny the charge. But he ought not to have told this
to his grandson, of all people in the world.

"As for Joe," Mr. Chalker went on, "you are going to do nothing for
him. I know that. But is it business like, Mr. Emblem, to waste good
money which you might have invested for your granddaughter?"