'There is the alleged debt for the harpsichord of fifty-five pounds: there is also the alleged debt due to Mr. John Merridew of fifty pounds: there are the costs: and there are the fines or garnish without which one cannot leave the place.' 'Say, perhaps in all, a hundred and fifty pounds. It is not much. I think I can find a man'--she laughed--'who, out of his singular love to you, will give the money to take you out.' 'You know a man? Madame, I protest--there is no one, in the whole world--who would do such a thing.' 'Yet if I assure you----' 'Oh! Madame! Will!' Alice fell on her knees and clasped her hand. 'See! It is herself! herself!' [Illustration: "ALICE FELL ON HER KNEES AND CLASPED HER HAND."] 'But why?--why?' I asked incredulous. 'Because she is all goodness,' Alice cried, the tears rolling down her face. 'All goodness!' Madame laughed. 'Yes, I am indeed all goodness. Get up dear woman. And go on thinking that, if you can. All goodness!' And she laughed scornfully. 'A hundred and fifty pounds,' she repeated. 'Yes, I think I know where to get this money.' 'Are we dreaming?' I asked. 'But, Will,' she became very serious, 'I must be plain with you. It is certain to me that the man Probus has got some hold over your cousin. Otherwise he would not be so impatient for you to sell your reversion. Some day I will show you why I think this. Learn, moreover, that the man Probus is a man of one passion only. He wants money: he wants nothing else: it is his only desire to get money. If anybody interferes with his money getting, he will grind that man to powder. You have interfered with him: he has thrust you into prison. Do not believe that when you are out he will cease to persecute you.' 'What am I to do, then?' 'If you come to terms with him he will at once cease his persecution.' 'Come to terms with him?' 'His terms must mean a great sum of money for himself, not for you--or for your cousin. Else he would not be so eager.' 'I can never accept his terms,' I said. 'He will go on, then. If it is a very large sum of money he will stick at nothing.' 'Then what am I to do?' 'Keep out of his way. For, believe me, there is nothing that he will not attempt to get you once more in his power. Consider: he put you in here, knowing that you are penniless. He calculates that the time will come when you will be so broken by imprisonment that you will be ready to make any terms. Nay--he thinks that the prison air will kill you.' 'The Lord will protect us,' said Alice. Madame looked up with surprise. 'They say that on the stage,' she said. 'What does it mean?' 'It means that we are all in the hands of the Lord. Without His will not even a sparrow falleth to the ground.' Madame shook her head. 'At least,' she said, 'we must do what we can to protect ourselves.' She rose. 'I am going now to get that money. You shall hear from me in a day or two. Perhaps it may take a week before you are finally released. But keep up your hearts.'