His fingers dug into Obadiah's gold.
"Would this help ?" he asked.
He brought out a shimmering handful of it and counted the pieces upon the table.
"Two hundred dollars--if he will deliver that note," he said.
Neil stared at him in amazement.
"If he won't take it for that--I've got more.

I'll go a thousand!" Neil stood silent, wondering if his companion was mad.

Nathaniel saw the look in his face and his own flushed with sudden excitement.
"Don't you understand ?" he cried.

"That note means Heaven or hell for Winnsome--it means life--her whole future! And you know what this cell means for us," he said more calmly.

"It means that we're at the end of our rope, that the game is up, that neither of us will ever see Marion or Winnsome again.