YES. Such is the understanding if I do not telephone my pals¹ to hold off. He's not at home; he's with my friends. They don't care very much about old men, and if I have not a decent show of money by half-past eleven this morning the orders are to knock him on the head. It won't take a very hard knock. He was far from being in prime condition this morning."
 
She had shown great feeling at the beginning of this address, but at its close she drew herself up again and met him with something of her old composure.
 
"These are all lies," said she. "My father would never leave his house[114] at the instigation of any gang. In the first place, he is not strong enough to attempt the stairs. You cannot deceive me in this fashion."
 
"He might be carried down."
 
"He wouldn't submit to that, nor would the other lodgers² in the house allow it without an express order from me."
 
"They got the order; not from you, but from him. He demanded to be allowed to go. You see, Mr. Fellows sent a message that you were hurt—I will speak the whole truth, and say dying. The old man could not be held after that. He went with the messenger."
 
Her cheeks were now like ashes. She had gauged³ the man before her and felt that he was fully⁴ capable of this villainy. How great a villainy she alone knew who had the history of this old[115] man in her heart.
 
"He went with the messenger," repeated Johnson, watching her face with a cruel leer. "That messenger knew where to take him. You may be sure it was to a place quite unknown to the police and to every one else but myself. Five minutes more gone, miss. In just twenty-five minutes more you will be an orphan⁵ and one impediment to your marriage will be at an end. How about the other?"
 
"Oh!" she wailed⁶. "If I could really believe you!"
 
"I can smooth away that doubt. If you will promise not to compromise me with the clerks or any one inside there, I will allow you to telephone home and learn the truth of what I have told you. Anything further will end all business between us and wind up your father's affairs at the hour set. I[116] can afford to humor you for ten minutes more in this nonsense."
 
"I will do it," she cried. "I must know what I am fighting before——" She caught herself back, but he was quite able to finish the sentence for her.
 
"Before you submit to the inevitable," he smiled.
 
Her head fell and he pointed

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