His had not been the victory of honied falsehoods, of suave deceit, of gentle but legalised robbery.

He had been a hard worker, a daring speculator with nerves of iron, and courage which would have glorified a nobler cause.

Nor had his been the methods of good fellowship, the sharing of "good turns," the camaraderie of finance.

The men with whom he had had large dealings he had treated as enemies rather than friends, ever watching them covertly with close but unslackening vigilance.

And now, for the present at any rate it was all over.