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 or return to England, or remain, that he could decide for himself; or he might find some one who would buy him out, but it must be a person acceptable to him, as he did not wish to be associated with those who were not his co-religionists. Matthew talked in this indifferent, if not heartless way, and put his partner in a steadily more depressing frame of mind, and at last, as usual, overdid the matter. William said that he should ask for a committee investigation, though he really had no grounds for this, for he had not been defrauded, as the world looks upon business transactions, but misled; but the very idea of being closely questioned so frightened Matthew that he did explain and promise to put in writing and satisfy William's friends, and so drove the shadows from the deluded man's brows and put him more at ease; and then Matthew urged him home to dine with him, and as they passed up the lane from the landing to the house, he made William feel as if he was a prosperous ship-owner, and the two shillings he jingled in his pocket were a dozen golden pounds.