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192 make you inclined to drive a hard bargain, but I give you fair warning, I can get the money by going to Lord Stranleigh."

"Then why the deuce don't you go?"

"That's my business. I don't want to go. I'd rather loot it out of you, and then I'd have no qualms of conscience. I may also add that I could probably procure cash by asking Mackeller. In spite of his brusqueness the other night, he knows that I put him on the way to fortune. He'd be beast enough to say that he gave me the money, and didn't loan it, but I'd get the coin all right. I'm certain of that; so you see, although I'm up a tree, there are two methods by which I can reach the ground again."

"How much money do you want?"

"If the job is an important one, I must have ten thousand pounds."

Isador put his thumbs in the armholes of his waistcoat, arched his brows, rounded his mouth, and gave utterance to a long whistle. Then he said:

"Ten thousand pounds are not picked up in the gutter, my boy."

"Oh, I don't know," replied Hazel, looking fixedly at him.

"Now, what do you mean by that remark?" roared Isador, again bringing his fist down on the table, but this time in anger.

"Perhaps I should have said I am willing to go