With his arm about her he drew her down beside him on a settee, and looked past her at Comethup with a smile of triumph in his eyes; held her closer and closer yet, with little tender caresses for her hands and her hair, that each might be a stab for the man who stood looking on. "And I have some good news for you, my sweetheart. In Paris I conducted my business so well that I made quite a lot of money; we'll be able to live in glorious style. We'll give up this stuffy house--what do you think of that, friend Comethup?--and we'll have a better one, and more servants; and, by Heaven! you shall drive a carriage. We'll give dinners, and go out, and mix with people; you shall be the best-dressed woman in London. What do you think of _that_, old Comethup?" "Oh, but I don't want all those things," said 'Linda softly, nestling to him. "So that I have you it would not matter, even if we were poor." "Nonsense, my darling! there's no talk of poverty; I tell you we're rich." He burst into a roar of laughter. "By 'Jove! I'd no idea that poetry could ever pay so well. But there, while we are spooning and thinking about ourselves, we're forgetting old Comethup. I dare say he'll want to be going?" "Yes," said Comethup slowly, "I think I'll be going. Good-night, 'Linda, good-night!" He was crossing the little hall when Brian dashed out of the room after him, closing the door behind him. He came up to Comethup with his face completely changed, with the hard look upon it which it had worn during their interview in the hotel at Paris. "Look here, you know," he said quickly, "let's have no misunderstanding about this. A bargain's a bargain; I've fulfilled my part, now it's your turn." "I'm not likely to forget," replied Comethup. "Well, we want money at once. I'm going to take you at your word. You want to see this comedy played out, and, by Heaven! you'll have to pay for staging it. It's a fair bargain: you have the fun of looking on, and I've got to play. Did I play my part well to-night?" Comethup looked at him for a moment and made a movement as though he would strike him; then let his hand fall and turned away. "Almost too well," he said. "Ah, there I don't agree with you; one can't play a part too well.--So I shall expect to hear from you--say, to-morrow?" "Yes, you shall hear from me to-morrow." Mr. Robert Carlaw was hovering about near the hall door with a look of expectancy on his face, and a hand darting out to seize Comethup if possible. But Comethup was in no mood to be stopped; he thrust him aside and went out, and walked rapidly down the street. "'Linda, 'Linda, my poor 'Linda!" he whispered. "God grant he plays his part well to the end!" CHAPTER XXIV. UNCLE ROBERT HAS AN INSPIRATION.