"May I write a cheque at once?" said Raffles Haw. "Here is pen and
ink. So! I shall send a couple of footmen down for them in the
afternoon. Well, I shall keep them in trust for you. I dare say
that when you are famous they will be of value as specimens of your
early manner."
"I am sure that I am extremely obliged to you, Mr. Haw," said the young
artist, placing the cheque in his notebook. He glanced at it as he
folded it up, in the vague hope that perhaps this man of whims had
assessed his pictures at a higher rate than he had named. The figures,
however, were exact. Robert began dimly to perceive that there were
drawbacks as well as advantages to the reputation of a money-scorner,
which he had gained by a few chance words, prompted rather by the
reaction against his father's than by his own real convictions.
"I hope, Miss McIntyre," said Raffles Haw, when they had descended to
the sitting-room once more, "that you will do me the honour of coming to
see the little curiosities which I have gathered together.
Your brother will, I am sure, escort you up; or perhaps Mr. McIntyre
would care to come?"
"I shall be delighted to come, Mr. Haw" cried Laura, with her sweetest
smile. "A good deal of my time just now is taken up in looking after
the poor people, who find the cold weather very trying.
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