"Maud dearest," she said, "control yourself. All will be well." And she led her sister off the dais into the cruiser, in which they returned to Lady Taieri's house. They met Montreal in the gallery leading to their apartments. He bowed gravely. Maud could not restrain herself. "You will kill me, Montreal," she said. "What do I care for wealth?" "Maud, you would not have me sacrifice my self-respect," he said, and passed on. He seemed almost unconscious where he was going. He was roused from his bitter reverie. "Colonel Laurient will be greatly obliged if you will go to him at once," said a servant. "Show me to his room," replied Montreal briefly. "Laurient," said Montreal, "believe me, I am not jealous of your good fortune." "My good fortune!" said Laurient. "I do not know of anything very good. I always felt sure that you would pay me what you owe me." "Pay you what I owe you!" said Montreal, in a voice of amazement. "Yes," replied Laurient. "You know that I come of a race of money-lenders, and I have sent for you to ask you for my money and interest." But Montreal was too sad to understand a joke; and Laurient had noticed what passed with Maud, and formed a shrewd conjecture that the gold had not made either of them happy. "Listen to me," he continued. "It is three years since you came to me and asked me to buy your share in the Molyneux works, as you had need of the money. I replied by asking what you wanted for your interest. You named a sum much below what I thought its value--a belief which to-day's results have proved to be correct. I am not in the habit of acquiring anything from a friend in distress at less than its proper value, and I was about to say so when I thought, 'I will lend this money on the security offered. I will not worry Montreal by letting him think that he is in debt and has to find the interest every half-year. There is quite sufficient margin for interest and principal too; and when the gold is struck, he will repay me.' I made this arrangement apparent in my will and by the execution of a deed of trust. The share is still yours, and out of the first money you receive you can repay me. Nay," he said, stopping Montreal's enthusiastic thanks. "I said I was a money-lender. Here is a memorandum of the interest, and you will see each year I have charged interest on the previous arrears--perfect usury. Go, my dear boy. I hate thanks, and I do not want money." Montreal could not control himself to speak. Two minutes afterwards he was in Hilda and Maud's sitting-room. "Forgive me, Maud darling! I have the share. I thought I had lost it," he said incoherently; but he made his meaning clear by the unmistakable caress of a lover. Hilda left the room--an example the historian must follow. CHAPTER X. LORD REGINALD AGAIN.