Mr。Jeffreyslookedupandthereweretracesofunwontedemotionuponhishard，regulatedface。
　　“Formyself，yes，Major——foryou，onthewhole，no。“
　　“Whatdoyoumean，Jeffreys？Idonotquiteunderstand。“
　　“Imean，Major，thatIamsorrybecauseyouhavenevertriedtoshuffleoffanyshadybusinessontomybackandleavemetobearthebruntofit；alsobecauseyouhavealwaystreatedmeasagentlemanshould，notasamachinetobeuseduntilabettercanbefound，andkickedasidewhenitgoesoutoforder。“
　　“Itisverykindofyoutosayso，Jeffreys，butIcan’trememberhavingdoneanythingparticular。“
　　“No，Major，youcan’trememberwhatcomesnaturaltoyou。ButIandtheothersremember，andthat’swhyIamsorry。ButforyourselfIamglad，sincealthoughAylwardandHaswellhaveputabigthingthroughandaregoingtomakeapotofmoney，thisisnoplaceforthelikesofyou，andnowthatyouaregoingIwillmakeboldtotellyouthatI
　　alwayswonderedwhatyouweredoinghere。Byandby，Major，therowwillcome，asithascomemorethanonceinthepast，beforeyourtime。“
　　“Andthen？“saidAlan，forhewasanxioustogettothebottomofthisman’smind，whichhithertohehadalwaysfoundsosecret。
　　“Andthen，Major，itwon’tmattermuchtoMessrs。AylwardandChampers-Haswell，whoareusedtothatkindofthingandwillprobablydissolvepartnershipandliequietforabit，andstilllesstofolklikemyself，whoareonlyservants。Butifyouwerestillhereitwouldhavematteredagreatdealtoyou，foritwouldblackenyournameandbreakyourheart，andthenwhat’sthegoodofthemoney？I
　　tellyou，Major，“theclerkwentonwithquietintensity，“thoughIamnobodyandnothing，ifIcouldafforditIwouldfollowyourexample。
　　ButIcan’t，forIhaveasickwifeandafamilyofdelicatechildrenwhohavetolivehalftheyearonthesouthcoast，tosaynothingofmyoldmother，and——IwasfoolenoughtobetakeninandbackSirRobert’slastlittleventure，whichcostmeallIhadsaved。SoyouseeImustmakeabitbeforethemachineisscrapped，Major。ButI
　　tellyouthis，thatifIcanget￡5000together，asIhopetodooutofSaharasbeforeIamamontholder，fortheyhadtogivemealook-
　　in，asIknewtoomuch，Iamofftothecountry，whereIwasborn，totakeafarmthere。NomoreofMessrs。AylwardandHaswellforThomasJeffreys。That’smybell。Good-bye，Major，I’lltakethelibertytowriteyoualinesometimes，forIknowyouwon’tgivemeaway。Good-
　　byeandGodblessyou，asIamsureHewillinthelongrun，“andstretchingouthishand，hetookthatoftheastonishedAlanandwrungitwarmly。
　　WhenhewasgoneAlanwentalso，noticingthattheclerks，whomsomerumouroftheseeventsseemedtohavereached，eyedhimcuriouslythroughtheglassscreensbehindwhichtheysatattheirdesks，ashethoughtnotwithoutregretandakindofadmiration。Eventhemagnificentbe-medalledporteratthedooremergedfromthecarvedteakboxwherehedweltandtouchinghiscapaskedifheshouldcallacab。
　　“No，thankyou，Sergeant，“answeredAlan，“Iwilltakeabus，and，Sergeant，IthinkIforgottogiveyouapresentlastXmas。Willyouacceptthis？——IwishIcouldmakeitmore，“andhepresentedhimwithtenshillings。
　　TheSergeantdrewhimselfupandsaluted。
　　“Thankyoukindly，Major，“hesaid。“I’drathertakethatfromyouthan￡10fromtheothergentlemen。But，Major，IwishwewereoutontheWestCoastagaintogether。It’sastinking，barbaroushole，butnotsobadasthis’erecity。“
　　Foroncethesetwohadservedascomrades，anditwasthroughAlanthatthesergeantobtainedhispresentlucrativebutsomewhatuncongenialpost。
　　Hewasoutsideatlast。Themassivegraniteportalvanishedbehindhimintheeveningmists，muchasanightmarevanishes。He，AlanVernon，whoforayearormorehadbeeninbondage，wasafreemanagain。Allhisdreamsofwealthhaddeparted；indeedifanything，saveinexperience，hewaspoorerthanwhenfirsttheshadowofyonderdoorwayfelluponhim。Butatleasthewassafe，safe。Thedeedofpartnershipwhichhadbeenasachainabouthisneck，wasnowwhiteashes；hisnamewaserasedfromthatfearfulprospectusofSaharaLimited，whereinmillionswhichsomeonewouldprovidewerespokenoflikesilverinthedaysofSolomon，asthingsofnoaccount。Thebitterestcriticcouldnotsaythathehadmadeahalfpennyoutoftheventure，infact，iftroublecame，hisvoluntaryabandonmentoftheprofitsduetohimmustgotohiscredit。Hehadplungedintotheicywatersofrenunciationandcomeupcleanifnaked。NeversincehewasaboycouldAlanrememberfeelingsoutterlylight-heartedandfreefromanxiety。Notforamillionpoundswouldhehavereturnedtogathergoldinthatmausoleumofreputations。Asforthefuture，hedidnotintheleastcarewhathappened。Therewasnoonedependentonhim，andinthiswayorinthathecouldalwaysearnacrust，anice，honestcrust。
　　Herandownthestreetanddancedforjoylikeachild，yes，andpresentedacrossing-sweeperagainstwhomhebuttedwithawholesixpenceincompensation。ThushereachedtheMansionHouse，notunsuspectedofinebrietybythepolice，andclamberedtothetopofabuscrowdedwithwearyandanxious-lookingCityclerksreturninghomeafteralongday’slabouratstarvationwage。Inthatcoldcompanyandachillingatmospheresomeofhisenthusiasmevaporated。Herememberedthatthisstepofhismeantthatsoonerorlater，withinayearortwoatmost，Yarleys，wherehisfamilyhaddweltforcenturies，mustgotothehammer。WhyhadhenotacceptedAylward’sofferandsoldthatoldfetishtohimfor￡17，000？Therewasnoquestionofshare-dealingthere，andifaverywealthymanchosetogiveafancypriceforacuriosity，hecouldtakeitwithoutdoubtorshame。AtleastitwouldhavesufficedtosaveYarleys，whichafterallwasonlymortgagedfor￡20，000。Forthelifeofhimhecouldnottell。Hehadactedonimpulse，averycuriousimpulse，andtherewasanendofitperhaps；
　　itmightbebecausehisunclehadtoldhimasaboythatthethingwasunique，orperhapsbecauseoldJeekie，hisnegroservant，venerateditsomuchandsworethatitwas“lucky。“Atanyratehehaddeclinedandtherewasanend。
　　Butanotherandagravermatterremained。HehaddesiredwealthtosaveYarleys，buthedesireditstillmoreforadifferentpurpose。
　　AboveeverythingonearthhelovedBarbara，hisdistantcousinandthenieceofMr。Champers-Haswell，whountilanhouragohadbeenhispartner。Nowshewasagreatheiress，andwithoutfortunehecouldnotmarryher，evenifshewouldmarryhim，whichremainedindoubt。ForonethingheruncleandguardianHaswell，underherfather’swill，hadabsolutediscretioninthismatteruntilshereachedtheageoftwenty-five，andforanotherhewastooproud。Thereforeitwouldseemthatinabandoninghisbusiness，hehadabandonedhischanceofBarbaraalso，whichwasatrulydreadfulthought。
　　Well，itwasinorderthathemightseeher，thathehadagreedtovisitTheCourtonthemorrow，eventhoughitmeantameetingwithhislatepartners，whowerethelastpeoplewithwhomhedesiredtoforegatheragainsosoon。ThenandtherehemadeuphismindthatbeforehebadeBarbarafarewell，hewouldtellherthewholestory，sothatshemightnotmisjudgehim。Afterthathewouldgooffsomewhere——toAfricaperhaps。Meanwhilehewasquitetiredout，astiredasthoughhehadlainaweekinthegripoffever。Hemusteatsomefoodandgettobed。Sufficientuntothedaywastheevilthereof，yetonthewholeheblessedthenameofJackson，editorof/TheJudge/andhisfather’soldfriend。
　　WhenAlanhadlefttheofficeSirRobertturnedtoMr。Champers-
　　Haswellandaskedhimabruptly，“Whatthedevildoesthismean？“
　　Mr。Haswelllookedupattheceilingandwhistledinhisownpeculiarfashion，thenanswered:
　　“Icannotsayforcertain，butouryoungfriend’sstrangeconductseemstosuggestthathehassmeltarat，possiblyeventhatJackson，theoldbeast，hasshownhimarat——ofalargeTurkishbreed。“
　　SirRobertnodded。
　　“Vernonisafellowwhodoesn’tlikerats；theyseemtohaunthissleep，“hesaid；“butdoyouthinkthathavingseenit，hewillkeepitinthebag？“
　　“Oh！certainly，certainly，“answeredMr。Haswellwithcheerfulness；
　　“themanisthesoulofhonour；hewillnevergiveusaway。Lookhowhebehavedaboutthoseshares。Still，Ithinkthatperhapswearewellridofhim。Toomuchhonour，liketoomuchzeal，isaverydangerousqualityinanybusiness。“