It was an unwelcome surprise both to the widow and her daughter to find that, beyond a policy of insurance for twelve thousand pounds, Mr. Hazeldine had left nothing behind him except a sum of one thousand pounds lodged in the Bank to which his services had been given for so many years. He was a man who never talked about his private affairs to anybody, but that he had died so poor was a source of surprise to all who had known him. The house, however, in which he had lived was his own, and that was now left to Mrs. Hazeldine for her use during life. With the exception of a legacy of five hundred pounds to his daughter, all else he might die possessed of was to be invested for the benefit of his widow, the interest accruing therefrom to be hers as long as she lived, and at her death the principal to be divided equally among his children. It was not without many inward qualms that Edward Hazeldine allowed himself to become an accessory to the fraud--for it could be termed nothing less--perpetrated by his father on the Stork Insurance Company. But, as he told himself over and over again, there was no way of escape open to him. He felt as if he had lowered himself for ever in his own eyes when he had acknowledged the receipt of the Insurance Company's cheque, and had paid the same into the Bank in his mother's name. It was another of those downward steps forced on him by his fatal knowledge of his father's secret. Fervently did he hope it might be the last. A day or two after the receipt of the cheque, Edward called on his mother in order to consult with her as to the disposition of the money. "What I propose," he said to Mrs. Hazeldine, "is that you should authorize me to invest the amount in the Four per cent, debentures of a certain Company with which Lord Elstree is intimately associated. By doing this you will come into receipt of an assured income of four hundred and eighty pounds a year." "Four per cent! Why, my dear Edward, I made sure that with your financial knowledge you would be able to get me eight per cent, for my money--or six at the very least!" "Oh, I could get you eight, or even ten per cent., readily enough," retorted Edward, a little grimly, "only in that case what sort of security would you have for your principal? People who are not content without a high percentage for their money must take the risk with it. Now, the investment I am proposing to you is an absolutely safe one." "But four hundred and eighty pounds a year! I--I did hope that I should have been able to keep a little pony-phaeton." "There will only be yourself and Fan," responded Edward, ignoring the latter part of her remark. "Your staff of servants might well be reduced, and I would recommend that you should let this house and move into a smaller one."