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have heard your story； and now it's high time to call your
brother。'
'Oh！' cried John； chap…fallen； 'do you think that absolutely
necessary？'
'I can't keep you here； I am a stranger；' said she。 'Do you
want to run away again？ I thought you had enough of that。'
He bowed his head under the reproof。 She despised him； he
reflected； as he sat once more alone； a monstrous thing for a
woman to despise a man； and strangest of all； she seemed to
like him。 Would his brother despise him； too？ And would his
brother like him？
And presently the brother appeared； under Flora's escort；
and； standing afar off beside the doorway； eyed the hero of
this tale。
'So this is you？' he said； at length。
'Yes； Alick； it's me … it's John；' replied the elder brother；
feebly。
'And how did you get in here？' inquired the younger。
'Oh； I had my pass…key；' says John。
'The deuce you had！' said Alexander。 'Ah； you lived in a
better world！ There are no pass…keys going now。'
'Well； father was always averse to them；' sighed John。 And
the conversation then broke down； and the brothers looked
askance at one another in silence。
'Well； and what the devil are we to do？' said Alexander。 'I
suppose if the authorities got wind of you； you would be
taken up？'
'It depends on whether they've found the body or not；'
returned John。 'And then there's that cabman； to be sure！'
'Oh； bother the body！' said Alexander。 'I mean about the
other thing。 That's serious。'
'Is that what my father spoke about？' asked John。 'I don't
even know what it is。'
'About your robbing your bank in California； of course；'
replied Alexander。
It was plain； from Flora's face； that this was the first she
had heard of it； it was plainer still； from John's； that he
was innocent。
'I！' he exclaimed。 'I rob my bank！ My God！ Flora； this is
too much； even you must allow that。'
'Meaning you didn't？' asked Alexander。
'I never robbed a soul in all my days；' cried John： 'except
my father； if you call that robbery； and I brought him back
the money in this room； and he wouldn't even take it！'
'Look here； John；' said his brother； 'let us have no
misunderstanding upon this。 Macewen saw my father； he told
him a bank you had worked for in San Francisco was wiring
over the habitable globe to have you collared … that it was
supposed you had nailed thousands； and it was dead certain
you had nailed three hundred。 So Macewen said； and I wish
you would be careful how you answer。 I may tell you also；
that your father paid the three hundred on the spot。'
'Three hundred？' repeated John。 'Three hundred pounds； you
mean？ That's fifteen hundred dollars。 Why； then； it's
Kirkman！' he broke out。 'Thank Heaven！ I can explain all
that。 I gave them to Kirkman to pay for me the night before
I left … fifteen hundred dollars； and a letter to the
manager。 What do they suppose I would steal fifteen hundred
dollars for？ I'm rich； I struck it rich in stocks。 It's the
silliest stuff I ever heard of。 All that's needful is to
cable to the manager： Kirkman has the fifteen hundred … find
Kirkman。 He was a fellow…clerk of mine； and a hard case； but
to do him justice； I didn't think he was as hard as this。'
'And what do you say to that； Alick？' asked Flora。
'I say the cablegram shall go to…night！' cried Alexander；
with energy。 'Answer prepaid； too。 If this can be cleared
away … and upon my word I do believe it can … we shall all be
able to hold up our heads again。 Here； you John； you stick
down the address of your bank manager。 You； Flora； you can
pack John into my bed； for which I have no further use to…
night。 As for me； I am off to the post…office； and thence to
the High Street about the dead body。 The police ought to
know； you see； and they ought to know through John； and I can
tell them some rigmarole about my brother being a man of
highly nervous organisation； and the rest of it。 And then；
I'll tell you what； John … did you notice the name upon the
cab？'
John gave the name of the driver； which； as I have not been
able to command the vehicle； I here suppress。
'Well；' resumed Alexander； 'I'll call round at their place
before I come back； and pay your shot for you。 In that way；
before breakfast…time； you'll be as good as new。'
John murmured inarticulate thanks。 To see his brother thus
energetic in his service moved him beyond expression； if he
could not utter what he felt； he showed it legibly in his
face； and Alexander read it there； and liked it the better in
that dumb delivery。
'But there's one thing；' said the latter； 'cablegrams are
dear； and I dare say you remember enough of the governor to
guess the state of my finances。'
'The trouble is；' said John； 'that all my stamps are in that
beastly house。'
'All your what？' asked Alexander。
'Stamps … money；' explained John。 'It's an American
expression； I'm afraid I contracted one or two。'
'I have some；' said Flora。 'I have a pound note upstairs。'
'My dear Flora；' returned Alexander； 'a pound note won't see
us very far； and besides； this is my father's business； and I
shall be very much surprised if it isn't my father who pays
for it。'
'I would not apply to him yet； I do not think that can be
wise；' objected Flora。
'You have a very imperfect idea of my resources； and not at
all of my effrontery；' replied Alexander。 'Please observe。'
He put John from his way； chose a stout knife among the
supper things； and with surprising quickness broke into his
father's drawer。
'There's nothing easier when you come to try；' he observed；
pocketing the money。
'I wish you had not done that；' said Flora。 'You will never
hear the last of it。'
'Oh； I don't know；' returned the young man； 'the governor is
human after all。 And now； John； let me see your famous pass…
key。 Get into bed； and don't move for any one till I come
back。 They won't mind you not answering when they knock； I
generally don't myself。'
CHAPTER IX … IN WHICH MR。 NICHOLSON ACCEPTS THE PRINCIPLE OF
AN ALLOWANCE
IN spite of the horrors of the day and the tea…drinking of
the night； John slept the sleep of infancy。 He was awakened
by the maid； as it might have been ten years ago； tapping at
the door。 The winter sunrise was painting the east； and as
the window was to the back of the house； it shone into the
room with many strange colours of refracted light。 Without；
the houses were all cleanly roofed with snow； the garden
walls were coped with it a foot in height； the greens lay
glittering。 Yet strange as snow had grown to John during his
years upon the Bay of San Francisco； it was what he saw
within that most affected him。 For it was to his own room
that Alexander had been promoted； there was the old paper
with the device of flowers； in which a cunning fancy might
yet detect the face of Skinny Jim； of the Academy； John's
former dominie； there was the old chest of drawers； there
were the chairs … one； two； three … three as before。 Only
the carpet was new； and the litter of Alexander's clothes and
books and drawing materials； and a pencil…drawing on the
wall； which （in John's eyes） appeared a marvel of
proficiency。
He was thus lying； and looking； and dreaming； hanging； as it
were； between two epochs of his life； when Alexander came to
the door； and made his presence known in a loud whisper。
John let him in； and jumped back into the warm bed。
'Well； John；' said Alexander； 'the cablegram is sent in your
name； and twenty words of answer paid。 I have been to the
cab office and paid your cab； even saw the old gentleman
himself； and properly apologised。 He was mighty placable；
and indicated his belief you had been drinking。 Then I
knocked up old Macewen out of bed； and explained affairs to
him as he sat and shiv