A well-known firm of shipbuilders on the Clyde had offered for the wood, and to the former the most attractive part of the transaction, in addition to the good price, was the fact that the money was paid down at once but it was far from satisfying the wants of Mr. Hawkey Sharpe. 'You know I disliked having that timber sold--that I hated the mere thought of having it cut!' said Deborah to him reproachfully, as she looked from the window into the sunshine. 'Why?' he asked sulkily; 'what the devil was the use of it?' 'It was the favourite feature in the landscape----' 'Of whom?' 'My dead husband.' 'Bosh!' exclaimed Hawkey, who thought this was (what, to do her justice, it was not) 'twaddle.' They were together in his sanctum, or 'den,' which passed occasionally as his office; though the table, like the mantelpiece, was strewed with pipes, their ashes were everywhere, and the air was generally redolent of somewhat coarse tobacco smoke. Having a favour to ask, he had, in his own fashion, been screwing his courage to the sticking-point. 'You have been imbibing--drinking again?' said his pale sister, eyeing him contemptuously with her cold, glittering stare. '"I take a little wine for my stomach's sake and other infirmities," as we find in 1st Timothy,' said he with a twinkle in his shifty eyes. 'The devil can quote Scripture, so well may you.' 'That is severe, Deb,' said he, filling his pipe. 'Come to the point.' 'Well, Deb, dear, would it be convenient to you to--to lend me a couple of thousand pounds for a few weeks? I have hinted of this from time to time.' 'Two thousand pounds! Not only inconvenient, but impossible,' said she, twisting her rings about in nervous anger. 'Why, Deb?' 'I have not even a fifty-pound note in the house.' 'But plenty lying idle at your banker's.' 'Not the sum you seek to borrow just now. Borrow! Why not be candid, and ask for it out and out? Two thousand----' 'I must have the money, I tell you,' he said, with sudden temper, 'or--or----' 'What?' 'Be disgraced--that is all,' he replied, sullenly lighting his huge briar-root. 'Well, you must find it without my aid,' said she, coldly and sullenly too. 'Could you not raise it on some of your useless jewels? Come, now, dear old Deb, don't be too hard upon a fellow.' Anger made her pale cheek suffuse at this cool suggestion, and she became very much agitated. 'Now, don't cut up this way. It is your heart again, of course; but keep quiet, and let nothing trouble you,' said he, puffing vigorously. 'You have a lot of the Lindsay jewels that are too old-fashioned for even you to wear.' 'But not to bequeath.' 'To Annot?' said he, brightening a little. 'I am sick of you and your Annot,' exclaimed Mrs. Lindsay, now all aflame with anger, and trembling violently. 'Sorry to hear it,' said he, somewhat mockingly. 'We have not yet quite got over our spooning.' 'Don't use that horrid, vulgar phrase, Hawkey.' 'Vulgar! How?'