‘He and I have often talked about my friend Sutherland, in the Bahamas, and Vawdrey has an idea that there’ll be a profitable opening in that quarter, before long. Sutherland has written to me lately that he thinks of bestirring himself in the projects I’ve told you about; he has got the old man’s consent to borrow money on the property. Now Vawdrey, naturally enough, would like Sutherland to join him in starting a company; the thoughts of such men run only on companies. So he offers, if I will go out to the Bahamas for a month or two, and look about me, and put myself in a position to make some kind of report--he offers to pay my expenses. Of course if the idea came to anything, and a company got floated, I should have shares.’ Again he paused. The listener had wide, miserable eyes. ‘Well, I told him at once that I would accept the proposal. I have no right to refuse. All I possess in the world, at this moment, is about sixty pounds. If I sold all my books and furniture, they might bring another sixty or so. What, then, is to become of me? I must set to work at something, and here’s the first work that comes to hand. But,’ his voice softened, ‘this puts us face to face with a very grave question; doesn’t it? Are we to relinquish your money, and be both of us penniless? Or is there any possibility of saving it?’ ‘How _can_ we? How could the secret be kept?’ Voice and countenance joined in utter dismay. ‘It doesn’t seem to me,’ said Tarrant slowly, ‘a downright impossibility. It _might_ be managed, with the help of your friend Mary, and granting that you yourself have the courage. But’--he made a large gesture--‘of course I can’t exact any such thing of you. It must seem practicable to you yourself.’ ‘What are we to do if my money is lost?’ ‘Don’t say _we_.’ He smiled generously, perhaps too generously. ‘A man must support his wife. I shall arrange it somehow, of course, so that _you_ have no anxiety. But--’ His voice dropped. ‘Lionel!’ She sprang up and approached him as he stood by the fireplace. ‘You won’t leave me, dear? How can you think of going so far away--for months--and leaving me as I am now? Oh, you won’t leave me!’ He arched his eyebrows, and smiled gently. ‘If that’s how you look at it--well, I must stay.’ ‘You can do something here,’ Nancy continued, with rapid pleading. ‘You can write for the papers. You always said you could--yes, you did say so. We don’t need very much to live upon--at first. I shall be content--’ ‘A moment. You mean that the money must be abandoned.’ She had meant it, but under his look her confused thoughts took a new direction.