‘It will turn out both, I dare say,’ said Egerton. ‘The Great Blankshire Bank has stopped payment.’ ‘Oh!’ said Marston; ‘I don’t know much about commercial matters. Is there anything special about the circumstances?’ ‘No! only it is unlimited, and the shareholders will be beggars. The liabilities are immense.’ ‘Poor devils!’ exclaimed Marston. ‘I’m sorry for ‘em; but, as I’m not a shareholder, it doesn’t interest me.’ Edward Marston spoke as he believed. He little knew that the failure of the Great Blankshire Bank was to interest him very much indeed. CHAPTER XLII. A DUEL OF WORDS. Gurth Egerton and Edward Marston sat opposite each other in the same room where a few days previously, Gurth had entertained the Adrians. Ruth had told Marston of the visit, and as he glanced round the cosily furnished apartment he fancied he could see her at the head of the table, and Gurth smiling complacently to himself at the victory he imagined he was gaining over an absent rival. The thought irritated him, and when Egerton handed him his cigar-case, he pushed it away from him with a contemptuous gesture. ‘A truce to this tomfoolery, Egerton!’ he exclaimed, jumping up from his chair and striding across the room in his excitement. ‘You can guess what I’ve come here to talk about.’ ‘Well, suppose I can?’ answered Gurth, quietly helping himself from the rejected case. ‘You will spare me the trouble of any introductory remarks. I may as well be plain, Gurth. In the old days we didn’t choose our phrases, and we needn’t now. You are paying a good deal too much attention to Ruth Adrian, and I strongly object to it.’ ‘I have no doubt you do,’ answered Gurth; ‘but the young lady may not.’ ‘Tush, man! we are not rehearsing a comedy. Drop your repartee. Ruth does object to your visits very much.’ ‘I am sorry to hear it; but I visit her parents’ house at her parents’ invitation.’ ‘Good. Then you’ll remain away in future at my invitation.’ ‘What the deuce do you mean, Mr. Marston?’ ‘What I say. If it isn’t clear to you, I’ll put it plainer. I request you to keep away from the Adrians’ while Ruth remains with them.’ ‘Hoity-toity! _You_ request me?’ ‘Yes; or rather I command you. Come, Mr. Gurth Egerton, you are not the only beggar who can sit a horse. I can be up in the stirrups too.’ Gurth Egerton looked at Marston for a moment, but the face of the latter betrayed nothing. ‘Look here, Ned Marston,’ he said, after a pause; ‘I don’t want to quarrel with you, but you are adopting a tone which doesn’t suit you at all. It’s out of place, my dear fellow. Who are you!’ ‘You know well enough.’ ‘Perhaps I do. As you evidently forget yourself, let me remind you. Some time ago a ragged, half-starved fellow turned up in London, after a long absence from the scenes of his youth, and came cadging to a friend of mine. My friend, acting on my behalf, gave him five hundred pounds for old acquaintance sake.’ Marston interrupted.