"I do trust you," said Millicent, and she sat there with a face like marble, listening to her husband's step across the hall, and then sat patiently for hours, during which time the bell had been rung for the spirit stand and hot water, while the fumes of tobacco stole into the room. At last there were voices and steps in the hall; the front door was opened and closed, and as Millicent Hallam awoke to the fact that she had not been up to see her child since she went to bed, and that it was nearly midnight, Hallam entered the room, looking more cheerful, and crossing to her he took her in his arms. "Things are looking brighter," he said. "We have only to wait. Now, mind this--don't ask questions--it is better that I should not go to the bank for a few days. I am unwell." Millicent looked at him hard. Certainly his eyes were sunken, and for answer, as she told herself that he must have suffered much, she bowed her head. VOLUME TWO, CHAPTER ELEVEN. GETTING NEAR THE EDGE. "Quite out of the question," said James Thickens. "But what is there to fear?" "I don't know that there is anything to fear," said Thickens dryly. "What I know is this, and I've thought it over. You are not going up to town with him, but by yourself, to get this money--if you still mean it." "I still mean it! There, go on." "Well, you will go up, and sign what you have to sign, get this money in notes, and bring it down yourself." "But Hallam will think it so strange--that I mistrust him." "Of course he will. So you do; so do I. And after thinking this matter over, I am going to have that money deposited here, and I'm going to redeem the bonds and deeds myself, getting all information from Hallam." "But this will be a hard and rather public proceeding." "I don't know about hard, and as to public, no one will know about it but we three, for old Gemp will not smell it out. He is down with the effects of a bad seizure, and not likely to leave his bed for days." "But, Thickens--" "Mr Bayle, I am more of a business man than you, so trust me. You are making sacrifice enough, and are not called upon to study the feelings of one of the greatest scoundrels--" "Oh! hush! hush!" "I say it again, sir--one of the greatest scoundrels that ever drew breath." Bayle frowned, and drew his own hard. "I don't know," he said, "that I shall care to carry this money--so large a sum." "Nonsense, sir, a packet of notes in a pocket-book. These things are comparative. When I was a boy I can remember thinking ninepence a large amount; now I stand on a market day shovelling out gold and fingering over greasy notes and cheques, till I don't seem to know what a large sum is. You take my advice, go and get it without saying a word to Hallam; and I tell you what it is, sir, if it wasn't for poor Mrs Hallam and that poor child, I should be off my bargain, and go to Sir Gordon at once."