"He said nothing about the quarter from which the provision was to come?" "He said nothing except what I have told you; but, for me, that is enough." "No doubt, Miss Nora, but what we want is something which will tell us where the money which he spoke of is to be found." "It will be found." "Where? how? when? These questions must be answered." "They will be answered, in God's good time." The doctor gave an impatient gesture. "I wish to say nothing in the least impious; but if it is to be in good time the answer must come now; before Cloverlea is sold, and you are homeless." "Cloverlea--sold?" The notion seemed to startle her. "Who talks of selling Cloverlea?" "My dear young lady, here's a creditor for over four thousand pounds, who writes to say that if his claim is not settled at once proceedings will immediately be taken against your father's estate----" "Four thousand pounds! To whom did my father owe four thousand pounds?" "That's the worst of it; it's a money-lender." "A money-lender?" "The fellow holds your father's paper--promissory notes--to the amount of nearly four thousand five hundred pounds, which is now overdue; and he says he has other paper, which will mature shortly, to the extent of another five thousand pounds. And he is not the only one; claims have been raining in from similar gentry. It actually appears that your father owed them at least thirty thousand pounds." "I don't believe it." The doctor shrugged his shoulders. "I found it hard to credit; but--there are the bills, accepted by your father; what do you suggest? that they are forgeries?" "At present I suggest nothing; what can I suggest? But I do not believe that my father ever borrowed money from a usurer." "I am afraid that this is not a matter with which we can deal as a question of belief; do you propose to contest these claims? If so, notice must be given at once; you must clearly understand what that would mean; you would have to prove that the signatures upon these bills, which purport to be your father's, are forgeries; I don't know in which event the consequences would be more serious, if you proved it or if you failed to prove it." "How do the people who hold these bills pretend they got them?" "Guldenheim, who is the chief holder, is, in his way, a perfectly respectable man, and enormously rich. I called on him yesterday to put that question. He looked me up and down; and then observed that if payment was not made this week he should commence proceedings, when he would supply the Court with all the necessary information; then he asked his clerk to show me to the door. I am afraid there was something in the manner in which I asked the question which he resented, and perhaps was entitled to resent." "What will be the result if he does take proceedings?"