But as yet no other Simiacine has been
found and the Plateau is lost.
And the end of it was two men who had gone to look for it two years
before--young and hearty--returning from the search successful
beyond their highest hopes, with a shadow in their eyes and grey
upon their heads.
They sat for nearly two hours in that room in the quiet house in
Russell Square, where the cabs do not pass; and their conversation
was of money. They sat until they had closed the Simiacine account,
never to be reopened. They discussed the question of renouncement,
and, after due consideration, concluded that the gain was rightly
theirs seeing that the risk had all been theirs. Slaves and slave-
owner had both taken their cause to a Higher Court, where the
defendant has no worry and the plaintiff is at rest. They were
beyond the reach of money--beyond the glitter of gold--far from the
cry of anguish. A fortune was set aside for Marie Durnovo, to be
held in trust for the children of the man who had found the
Simiacine Plateau; another was apportioned to Joseph.
"Seventy-seven thousand one hundred and four pounds for you," said
Jack Meredith at length, laying aside his pen, "seventy-seven
thousand one hundred and four pounds for me."
"And," he added, after a little pause, "it was not worth it.
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