But it was plain that he had reached the end of his present
financial policy, and must decide whether to adopt the new one
suggested by Mrs. Dinneford or make a failure, and so get rid of his
partner. The question he had to settle with himself was whether he
could make more by a failure than by using Granger a while longer,
and then throwing him overboard, disgraced and ruined. Selfish and
unscrupulous as he was, Freeling hesitated to do this. And besides,
the "desperate expedients" he would have to adopt in the new line of
policy were fraught with peril to all who took part in them. He
might fall into the snare set for another--might involve himself so
deeply as not to find a way of escape.

"To-morrow we will talk this matter over," he said in reply to Mrs.
Dinneford's last remark; "in the mean time I will examine the ground
thoroughly and see how it looks."

"Don't hesitate to make any use you can of Granger," suggested the
lady. "He has done his part toward getting things tangled, and must
help to untangle them."

"All right, ma'am."

And they separated, Mrs. Dinneford reaching the street by one door
of the hotel, and Freeling by another.

On the following day they met again, Mrs. Dinneford bringing the two
thousand dollars.

"And now what next?" she asked, after handing over the money and