He would have done all that Crinkett had suggested to him when he and Crinkett were walking along the dike.

Crinkett had said that on receiving twenty thousand pounds he would have gone back to Australia, and would have taken a wife with him! That offer had been quite intelligible, and if carried out would have put an end to all trouble.
But he had mismanaged that interview.

He had been too proud, too desirous not to seem to buy off a threatening enemy.

Now, as the trouble pressed itself more closely upon him,--upon him and his Hester,--he would so willingly buy off his enemy if it were possible! 'They ought to have the money,' he said to himself; 'if only I could contrive that it should be paid to them.' One day as he was entering the house by a side door, Darvell the gardener told him that there was a gentleman waiting to see him.

The gentleman was very anxious to see him, and had begged to be allowed to sit down.