Feeling as though my brain were in a melting-pot, I departed from the
house into a patch of native bush that in those days still grew upon the
slope of the hill behind. Here I sat myself down, as I had often
done before when there was a knotty point to be considered, aimlessly
watching a lovely emerald cuckoo flashing, a jewel of light, from tree
to tree, while I turned all this fairy-godmother business over in my
mind.

Of course it soon became clear to me. Lord Ragnall in this case was
the little old lady with the wand, the touch of which could convert
worthless share certificates into bank-notes of their face value. I
remembered now that his wealth was said to be phenomenal and after
all the cash capital of the company was quite small. But the question
was--could I accept his bounty?

I returned to the house where the first person whom I met was Lord
Ragnall himself, just arrived from some interview about the fifty Snider
rifles, which were still in bond. I told him solemnly that I wished to
speak to him, whereon he remarked in a cheerful voice,

"Advance, friend, and all's well!"

I don't know that I need set out the details of the interview. He
waited till I had got through my halting speech of mingled gratitude and
expostulation, then remarked:

"My friend, if you will allow me to call you so, it is quite true that I
have done this because I wished to do it. But it is equally true that to
me it is a small thing--to be frank, scarcely a month's income; what I
have saved travelling on that ship to Natal would pay for it all. Also