I will take
everything upon myself."
"I cannot possibly, papa," said Laura, with decision. "I should not
think of parting with it."
"What is the world coming to?" cried the old man, with his thin hands
held up in protest. "You grow more undutiful every day, Laura. This
money would be of use to me--of use, you understand. It may be the
corner-stone of the vast business which I shall re-construct. I will
use it, Laura, and I will pay something--four, shall we say, or even
four and a-half--and you may have it back on any day. And I will give
security--the security of my--well, of my word of honour."
"It is quite impossible, papa," his daughter answered coldly. "It is
not my money. Hector asked me to be his banker. Those were his very
words. It is not in my power to lend it. As to what you say, Robert,
you may be right or you may be wrong, but I certainly shall not give Mr.
Raffles Haw or anyone else the money without Hector's express command."
"You are very right about not giving it to Mr. Raffles Haw," cried old
McIntyre, with many nods of approbation. "I should certainly not let it
go out of the family."
"Well, I thought that I would tell you."
Robert picked up his Tam-o'-Shanter and strolled out to avoid the
discussion between his father and sister, which he saw was about to be
renewed.
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