‘You see I’ve come back again, Laura,’ he said, as soon as the door was closed. ‘I didn’t forget you. But it was a risk--a tremendous risk. Curtin--that’s my solicitor--is careful to impress on me that my getting the money won’t save me from prosecution. It’s a comfortable truth for him; for he’s charged me fifty per cent. for the money he has lent me,----him, because he knew very well I didn’t dare to go to anyone else for it. But how are you?’ ‘I don’t feel very well to-day.’ ‘I’m sorry for that. Well, I’ve come a good way to see you. I’m in France, you know--supposed to be in France; and I ran over last night and came down here this morning. I want to pay you the little debt I owe you;’ and he counted out the money as he spoke. ‘We’ve made them pay up,’ he cried in triumphant tone. ‘Indeed,’ said Laura. ‘Yes. Two hundred and eleven thousand four hundred and nineteen pounds were paid in to my account at the Bank of England on Friday morning. What do you think of that?’ ‘I’m going to buy a yacht,’ he continued, without waiting for an answer. ‘One feels more comfortable, safer, in fact, on board ship.’ He ceased talking for a moment, and Laura made no effort to supply the gap. ‘I say, Laura,’ he exclaimed, ‘did you ever hear of such a fool as that fellow Alec--throwing away all that money?’ Laura reddened. It was exactly what she had thought herself; but it was a very different thing to hear it from this man’s mouth. ‘So I’m the heir after all!’ He laughed; he actually laughed as he spoke. ‘And as soon as I’ve come into my inheritance I’ve come back to you. I’m not a man to forget old friends or old promises, Laura; and I’ve come to ask you to let bygones be bygones, and go shares with me in this good luck. You’ll marry me, Laura, won’t you? And we’ll be so jolly! Think of how jolly we will be! Eh, Laura?’ ‘But I have lost my fortune, Mr. Semple,’ she said, without raising her eyes. ‘What is that to me?--a flea-bite--a mere flea-bite;’ and Mr. Semple drummed on the table pleasantly with the tips of his fingers. ‘And you might perhaps find someone who was more attractive, more accomplished, more worthy to be the wife of a rich man than poor me,’ said the girl, almost humbly. ‘Oh, well; I dare say I might pick almost anywhere now; but we are old friends, and I have always liked you, Laura, so----’ He stretched out his hand and laid it upon hers. At the touch she sprang to her feet as if she had been stung. ‘You wretch!’ she cried. ‘You cowardly, cruel monster! How dare you ask an honest girl to marry you! Do you think I would have accepted you as you were the other day? As little would I listen to you now!’ He shrank back amazed, angry, insulted--cowering before the girl’s scorn.