"As for myself, I will take the necessary steps as soon as you have
given me that letter of assurance. As regards the other principal in
the Conspiracy, it is hardly worth your while to search after him. I
shall be obliged if you will be so good as to acknowledge this letter
without delay, with any assurance which you may be able to make as
regards the person whom I have dragged into the affair. I send you an
address where a letter will find me. You may wish to watch the house. I
assure you beforehand that it is useless. I shall not go there.--I
remain, Gentlemen, "Your obedient servant, "HARRY NORLAND."
"Perhaps," said the Secretary, "it is in connection with this letter
that I have this day received a packet of bank-notes amounting in all
to the sum of five thousand pounds. The packet is endorsed 'Restitution
money.'"
"Bank-notes, gentlemen," said the Chairman significantly, "may be
traced if necessary."
The Directors looked at each other. This was, indeed, a very remarkable
story, and one never before brought to the notice of any Board.
"Gentlemen," said the Chairman, "you have heard the letter; you now
have the case before you. I should like to hear your views."
"We are likely to get most of our money back," said one of the
Directors, "it seems to me, by holding our tongues. That is the main
thing."
"If we could get Lord Harry himself," said another, "I should say: Go
for him, but not for his wife. I wonder we ever took his life at all.
If all stories are true about him he is as bad as they make 'em. He ran
away when he was a boy, and went to sea: he was a strolling actor after
that: he went out to the States and was reported to have been seen in
the West: he has been a ship's steward: he has been on the turf. What
has he not been?"
"We have got the money," said another; "that is the great thing. We
must remember that we should never have found out the thing unless--"
"The Company must not compound a felony," said the Chairman.
"Certainly not. By no means. At the same time, would any good purpose
be served by public scandal in connection with a noble House?"
"The noble House," said another Director, who was Radical, "may very
well take care of itself. Question is, Would it do any good to anybody
if we ran in the wife?"