Below him
twinkled the sparse lights of the Flat; shouts and singing rose from the
circus.--And so John would have been willing to go surety for him! Let
no one say the unexpected did not happen. All said and done, they were
little more than strangers to each other, and John had no notion what
his money-making capacities as a doctor might be. It was true, Polly had
been too delicate to mention whether the affair had come about through
her persuasions or on John's own initiative. John might have some
ulterior motive up his sleeve. Perhaps he did not want to lose his
sister . . . or was scheming to bind a pair of desirables fast to this
colony, the welfare of which he had so much at heart. Again, it might be
that he wished to buy off the memory of that day on which he had
stripped his soul naked. Simplest of all, why should he not be merely
trying to pay back a debt? He, Mahony, might shrink from lying under an
obligation to John, but, so far, the latter had not scrupled to accept
favours from him. But that was always the way with your rich men; they
were not troubled by paltry pride; for they knew it was possible to
acquit themselves of their debts at a moment's notice, and with
interest. This led him to reflect on the great help to him the loan of
his wealthy relative's name would be: difficulties would melt before it.
And surely no undue risk was involved in the use of it? Without
boasting, he thought he was better equipped, both by aptitude and
training, than the ruck of colonial practitioners.
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