HOW A DEBT WAS CREATED. 43 



' 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 repre- 

 sented 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 recom- 

 mended 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 anything 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 



