'I'm not going just at present to tell you much about my affairs,
and yet I expect you to do what I ask you. I don't suppose you
doubt my ability to raise 750 pounds.'

'Oh, dear, no,' said Sexty, who had been looked at and who had not
borne the inspection well.

'And I don't suppose you would refuse me even if I were hard up,
as you call it.' There had been affairs before between the two
men in which Lopez had probably been the stronger, and the memory
of them, added to the inspection which was still going on, was
heavy upon poor Sexty.

'Oh, dear, no;--I wasn't thinking of refusing, I suppose a
fellow may be a little surprised at such a thing.'

'I don't know why you should be surprised, as such things are
very common. I happen to have taken a share in a loan a little
beyond my immediate means, and therefore want a few hundreds.
There is no one I can ask with a better grace than you. If you
ain't--afraid about it, just sign it.'

'Oh, I ain't afraid,' said Sexty, taking his pen and writing his
name across the bill. But even before the signature was
finished, when his eye was taken away from the face of his
companion and fixed upon the disagreeable piece of paper beneath
his hand, he repented of what he was doing. He almost arrested
his signature half-way. He did hesitate, but had not pluck
enough to stop his hand. 'It does seem to be an odd