"Don't talk in that melodramatic way," said Oliver, quietly. But his lip twitched a little as if something had touched him unpleasantly. "You know very well that you have no more power of ruining me than you have of flying to yonder moon. You can't substantiate any of your stories. You can blacken me in the eyes of a few persons who know me, perhaps; but really I doubt your power of doing that. People wouldn't believe you, you know; and they would believe me. There is so much moral power in a good hat and patent leather boots." "Do you dare to trifle with me----" the man was beginning, furiously, but Oliver checked him with a slight pressure on his arm, and went on suavely. "All this threatening sort of business is out of date, as you ought to know. One would think that you had been to the Surrey-side Theatres, lately, or the Porte St. Martin, and taken lessons of a stage villain. 'Beware! I will be revenged,' and all that sort of thing. It doesn't go down now, you know. The fact is this--you can't do me any harm, you can only harm yourself; and I think you had better be advised by me and hold your tongue." Francis was silent for a minute or two. He was evidently impressed by Oliver's manner. "You're right in one way," he said, in a much more subdued tone. "People wouldn't listen to me because I am so badly dressed--I look so poor. But that could be remedied. A new suit of clothes might make all the difference, Oliver. And then we could see whether _some_ people would believe me or not!" "And what difference will it make to me if people did believe you?" said Oliver, slowly. The man stared at him open-mouthed. Oliver was taking a view of things which was unknown to Francis. "Well," he answered, "considering that you and most of my relations and friends have cut me for the last ten years because I got into trouble over a few accounts at the bank--and considering the sorry figure I cut now in consequence--I don't know why you should be so careless of the possibility of partaking my downfall! I should say that it would be rather worse for you than it has been for me; and it hasn't been very nice for _me_, I can assure you!" Oliver's face grew a trifle paler, but his voice was as smooth as ever when he began to speak.