She sent for Vollins and placed the case before him. The treasurer stood by the table, with inscrutable face and listened in silence, his somewhat furtive look bent on the Frenchman. “Has Monsieur De Courcy some scrap of writing in which my lord signifies that so considerable a payment is to be made?” “My dear fellow, this relates to business that is not put in writing between gentlemen,” said the foreigner hastily. “I am not a gentleman, but merely the custodian of his lordship’s purse. I dare not pay out gold without his lordship’s warrant over his own signature.” De Courcy shrugged his shoulders and spread out his hands, as though he had washed them of responsibility. “Mr. Vollins,” pleaded the girl eagerly, “my father’s life and liberty may depend on this disbursement. I will be your warrant. I have money of my own in the North, many times the sum I request you to pay. Should my father object, I will refund to you the thousand pounds; indeed I will remit it to you in any case, and my father need know nothing of this transaction, therefore you cannot be held in scath.” Vollins shook his head. “I must not do it,” he said. “His lordship is a very strict man of business and will hold me to account. He would forgive you, Madam, but would be merciless with me did I consent to so unheard of a proposal. I dare not count out a thousand pounds to the first man who steps from the street and asks for it, giving me his bare word.” “Do you dispute my word, sir?” demanded De Courcy, bristling. “Assuredly not. I am but putting a case, as his lordship would undoubtedly put it to me were I to consent,--and what would be my answer?” “But you have my word as well, Mr. Vollins,” urged the girl. “Madam, I beseech you to consider my position. I am but a servant. The money is not mine, or you were welcome to it. Yet why all this haste? His lordship can undoubtedly be communicated with tomorrow, and then a word or line from him is sufficient.” “You have an adage, sir, of striking while the iron is hot; the iron may be cool enough by the time your scruples of legality are satisfied,” warned De Courcy. “His lordship can be communicated with; you are quite right, Mr. Vollins,” cried Frances, remembering. “He _has_ communicated with me. I ask you to read this letter, and then to pay the thousand pounds required of you.” Vollins read the letter with exasperating slowness, and said at last: “There is nothing here authorizing me to pay the gentleman a thousand pounds.” “True, there is not. But my father says you are to pay me what moneys I require. I require at this moment a thousand pounds in gold.” “The money is for your safe conduct to the North.” “You have read my father’s letter more carelessly than I supposed, by the time you took. He says you are to fulfill my wishes in this and every respect. Do you still refuse me?” “No, Madam. But I venture to advise you strongly against the payment.”