THE UNSPEAKABLE GENTLEMAN
too much, Jason, for you to do justice to it. Twenty-five thousand dollars! It seems to me I remember that a similar sum once passed between us. In which direction? I seem to have forgotten—Yes, strangely enough they are quite correct. A modest little fortune, but still something to fall back on."
"And now the paper!" demanded my uncle.
"Ah, to be sure, the paper," said my father, and he swung from the table where he had been sitting, and smiled brightly.
"I have changed my mind about the paper, Jason, and business presses. I fear it is time to end our interview."
"You mean you dare"
"To accept a sum from you in payment of damage you have done my character? I should not dare to refuse it. Or let us put it this way, Jason. The paper is merely drawing interest. Positively, I cannot afford to give it up."
The red had risen again to my uncle's face, giving his features the color of ugly magenta. For a moment I thought he was going to leap at the slighter man before him, but my father never moved a muscle, only
[106]
