HOW A DEBT WAS CREATED 33 



Starkey have exclaimed that 'Mr. Padwick was his 

 friend, for he had saved him 4,000,' for apparently and 

 actually he had done so; and well may his generous 

 feelings have been awakened, as shown in what followed. 



' Now,' said Mr. Padwick, ' what am I to have for my 

 services ? I leave it entirely to you to say what I am 

 entitled to.' 



' Ten thousand pounds,' was Starkey's laconic reply, 

 without any reference to a ready-reckoner to assist him 

 in the computation. 



And so the matter was settled. It may appear a large 

 sum for such services ; but we must not forget that Mr. 

 Padwick had actually saved him nearly half of it, besides 

 paying the amount which Mr. Starkey would assuredly 

 have had to provide. Of the truth of the above there 

 cannot be any reasonable doubt. I have had the facts 

 as set forth substantially represented to me in good faith 

 by each party at different times, with seeming satisfaction 

 to both. 



Mr. Starkey once paid me a visit and stopped the night 

 at my house ; on which occasion he informed me that he 

 wished to raise a little money, and asked my advice as 

 to the best way of doing it. I recommended him to go 

 to my bank (the Wilts and Dorset, head office, Salisbury), 

 where I told him he would find an agreeable manager 

 who knew how to take care of himself, and I did not 

 doubt would be equally solicitous for his welfare. There 

 I said I believed he could, by lodging his deeds, get any- 

 thing he wanted at 5 per cent. Mr. Starkey thought the 

 plan a good one, and said he would act upon it. But 

 the next morning he fancied he would rather have it of 

 Mr. Padwick or, as he called him, ' Old Paddy ' than 

 of any banker. It did not occur to me at the time that 

 the deeds were probably deposited with that excellent 



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