Come in, all of you, it is cold in this wind." So we went into the smoking-room, and Lord Ragnall, who, I could see, was annoyed, instantly fetched a blank cheque from his study and handed it to Van Koop in rather a pointed manner.
He took it, and turning to me, said: "I remember the capital sum, but how much is the interest?
Sorry to trouble you, but I am not very good at figures." "Then you must have changed a good deal during the last twelve years, Sir Junius," I could not help saying.

"Still, never mind the interest, I shall be quite satisfied with the principal." So he filled up the cheque for L250 and threw it down on the table before me, saying something about its being a bother to mix up business with pleasure.
I took the draft, saw that it was correct though rather illegible, and proceeded to dry it by waving it in the air.

As I did so it came into my mind that I would not touch the money of this successful scamp, won back from him in such a way.
Yielding to a perhaps foolish impulse, I said: "Lord Ragnall, this cheque is for a debt which years ago I wrote off as lost.

At luncheon to-day you were talking of a Cottage Hospital for which you are trying to get up an endowment fund in this neighbourhood, and in answer to a question from you Sir Junius Fortescue said that he had not as yet made any subscription to its fund.

Will you allow me to hand you Sir Junius's subscription--to be entered in his name, if you please ?" And I passed him the cheque, which was drawn to myself or bearer.
He looked at the amount, and seeing that it was not L5, but L250, flushed, then asked: "What do you say to this act of generosity on the part of Mr.
Quatermain, Sir Junius ?" There was no answer, because Sir Junius had gone.