A CONFIDENTIAL AGENT: BY JAMES PAYN,

AUTHOR OS" «'By Proxy," "Under One Roor," "Walter's Word," "High. Spirits,"' Etc. CHAPTER XXVII. .'. SUPERFLUOUS PRECAUTION. APART from the portrait of his missing jissiatant, and the furtherance (as he im agined) of his suit with. Amy, it was not very much that Mr Signet hn.d obtained from his visit to Cavendish Grove; but it was something. It wns important to him, as we have said, to show that he for Ins part entertained the highest confidence in Matthew Hclston, and continued to do so ; thnt lie and Matthew's belongings were as good friends as ever, notwithstanding what had occurred* and it still more behoved him to strengthen and to keep steadfast all testimony that told for Matthew. At present this was confined to that of John ltuthorford the cabman1; not a very weighty witness, it may be thought, against the direct evidence of Lady Pargiter mid her servants, but still (a3 Mr Brail nod reported) "dependable." Moreover, supposing he had not been bribed by Matthew—an idea that was rigidly-excluded from Mr Signet's present calculations—what motive could he nave had for falsehood ? Mr Signet had been told by Mr Bra 1 that " if he meant to make a light for it "—that is, to dccliue to pay Lady Pargiter for the loss of the diamonds—lie had better not visit Hybla Mews in person. "They will say," urged the detective, " that you got at the man, and paid him to stick to his story -which is already, I must confess, to my thinking, very much in the cock-and-bull line."

But inclined as the jeweller was to follow the police agent's advice in the main, and to attach much weight to his opinions (when they did not tend to despair of his own chances), he found this prohibition too hard to be obeyed. Like a child who has a tlormouso ho is forbidden to stroke, Mr Signet hankered after his only witness, and could not understand bow lie e^uld be damaged by a little handling. He had not the least intention of cramming him for cross-examination, or of .suggesting to him any fact that might not have come to his own knowledge; but he wanted to .see what manner of man he was, and to hear -with his own ears the details of that strange story on the maintenance or break ing down of which so much depended. The largeness of hia stake in the matter was of course the main reason of his acceptance of the cabman's theory ; but his dislike of Lady l'argiter—which by this time, indeed, had grown to positive hatred—undoubtedly made it more grateful to him. On leaving Cavendish Grove Ids usual -course would have been citywards; but lie bade hia driver put hioi down at Ilyb'a Terrace, at tho coiner of which he dis missed him. He did not wish the man to know that he was about to visit the Mews.

As he neaied the " Rising Sun " he came upon an unkempt, shambling .mature, cer tainly attached to tlio .publu-iiousu in one sense, and probably so in another, of whom he inquired John Kutherfonl's number; but the man profeiscd ignorance, and retorred Lim to die inn.

Under any other circumstances—even in his improved ones of Into days—Mr Richard Dartmoor >yould coitainly have been met with slouching under tho portico, or specu lating with his hands in his pockets upon the solid content of tho edifice f ruin without; but he had disappeared within the last ten hours, almost as suddenly as poor Matthew Helston. Tho cause of this was remark able. Mr Dartmoor had been slouching and speculating as usual on the preceding aftemooa, when, on emerging from the inu after a refreshing "dram, he had suddenly come upon the very person whom Mr Signet had just met This dissolute lounger and loafer was so exceedingly likeTiimsclf that the effect was almost the same upou him as that of the Doppcl ganger upon a Gci man, or that species of second sight called "the douWe" upon a Scotchman, imagine a person of nervous teujperament (much aggravated by liquor), who, intcudlng a practical joke, dre»ses himself up as a spectre ; and iustead ot his victim meets in a. lonely place a real ghost, a.ud you will have some sort of idea of the state of mind into which Mr Richard Dart moor was thrown by the rencontre. He toddled back into the inn for a tonic dram, and then slouched out by a spring door on the other side, not certain of his future movements, i.e., whether he would not shift iiis quarters, and leave the " Rising Sun " for good and all, rather than face such visions; when what should he see within a few yards of him but another counterfeit presentment of himself. " Voila deux— there arc two I" ho would have ox claimed, like tho Black Mousquetairo of Thomas Ingoldsby, had he been familiar with the quotation; as it was, ho mur mured -'' Blue-bottles, by.gum I" Then he looked up to the sky with a careless air, as though smwflakes ware thistledown, and south-casters zephyrs; and not gradually, like the youth who " journeys farther from the East," but at a much more rapid rate, increased his distance from the "Rising Bun." .'■"■'■ Unconscious of the loss which Society in the neighbourhood of Hy Ma Terrace had received, Mr Signet entered the Mews, and was directed to Mr Rutherford's dwelling. lie had a certain right to intrude upon the cabman's privacy, inasmuch- as the latter was well aware that he had defrayed— through Matthew Helston—tho very con ■derable sums that had gone into "honest *'""'-" pocket in pay meat of those nightly expetuu.. f ;oMoo; . bDreet u le l^tof w hi cn had ended. t,v -, ia . u . ol , s i y . The door was , mA " to Mm by Sally, who always wrformeuw oJiice . I am. Mr Signet/ »,«aid frankly; "you will know what I am comj.hout " "lknow very well," sl.e said. 'You have sent the police after my poor husba/1 but he is not a bit frightened. He is a. honest a man as you are, and he lias told no lies." " I hope not," said Mr Signet, in a very genuine manner. '"Tell tbe truth and stick to it" should l>; eveiy Englishman's motto. If you will allow me, I will walk upstairs."

Perhaps he had road in "flints on .Etiquette that in getting over stiles and going upstairs one should precede a lady or perhaps he wished to see Mr Eutherford before his wife should announce his pre sence; but at all events Mr Signet did precede her. ° He found the cabman still in M s sleeved waistcoat, as Mr Brail had found him. He had been too much disturbed in his mind to complete his toilette, far less to take out his cab as usual, and he was smokin" his sixteenth pipe. b ",Oh, here's another, is there?" he growled. I

hastn*' 8 Ml Signet> JollU'" put in SaUy " What do I care who it is ?" ' Of course you don't,'" said the jeweller; wow" mBU d have 00 »PPrehen

"Apprehensions be hanged 1" exclaimed Mr Kutlieiford. "Of course I shall bo apprehended. Poor folks always arc when lick folks have mislaid things or made away with them. I knew a man as was trans potted for stealing a watch that was all the dine in an old lady's watch-pocket over her bed, a'ul who was so fortunate after a year or two as to get the Queen's pardon for it; but it isn't everybody as has his good luck." "That was a sad mistake indeed," said the jeweller sympathisinglv. " Cut it can not have ocurrcd in this case. Would you be so good as to tell mo what you know about this Moor Street business—ihe same story, 1 mean, that yon told the person who called this morning? Have you got such a tiling ws pen and ink, Mrs Rutherford ?' A bright thought here struck the jeweller. Ho would set the man's narrative down in writing, and get him to sign it. If it was no other use, it would be always handy to refresh Mr Rutherford's memory. Sally produced a washing book, the stump of a pen and an ink bottle—the contents of which were ho dried up that it had to be liquified like the blood of St. Janarius. Mr Signet, however, was deft with.his lingers, nud could write with anything. John related the story witli which we are acqnainted, more doggedly than before, but almost in the same words. "If you was to squeeze me between the kob doors of my own'ansom," he said, "youwould always have the same story." Mr Signet looked at him as though, he had been an Early Martyr prepared to sillier for the faith—and perhaps with a greater admiration. " Now be so kind, my excellent fellow, as to set your name to this, which I have written down from your own lips." "No, I couldn't do that," said honest John ; " 1 really couldn't." " Not sign it ? Then do you mean to say it's not true, you scoundrel ?" Mr Signet would probably have proceeded to UK'; much stronger language had not Mrs Rutherford whispered something iv his ear. " Hh, can't write, can't he ? He can make his mark, I suppose?" "If you call me a scoundrel again I'll make a pretty bijj mark between your eyes," exclaimed John irascibly.

" llu's honesty itself," murmured Mr Signet, in a rapture at this menace. " He'd be worth 'his weight in—well, in sped pearls—before the Lord Chief Justice. Stop one moment—we must have a witness, and it mustn't lie his wife." Mr Signet stepped to the "yerander," and put his hoau out. Immediately opposite, smoking v straw and speculating after the manner of his kind, was the man to whom ho had applied in vain for Mr Rutherford's address. " Hi, come here ?" lie cried authorita tively. The man slouched cjrelessly across the yard, though the wind was keen enough to have quickened the steps of a sloth. '■ Can you write ?" inquired the jeweller. " «y," replied the other, so gloomily that one might have thought the knowledge of that art—upon the principle of a little learning being a dangerous thine; —had brougiit him iuto his present unprospcrous condition.

"Then come up here." Not without some pride in the device which liia own legal acumen had suggested, Mr Signet pointed out tbe spot in the washing-book where the cabman was to put hia cross, and the witness to subscribe \\u name. The materials he had to work with were crude enough, but every forma lity was complied with. Mr liuthcrford evinced a decided gratification in repeating the words, "Witness my act and deed after the jeweller; and when the, latter murmured, witha sigh of satisfaction, Litcra scripta vianet, honest John nodded approv ingly, as though that mystic sentence had been the one tuing necessary to accomplish the rite.

"Money," said Mr Signc', addressing the stranger, who stood with his eyes glancing furtively about him and with his hand passing slowly over his mouth, as though in fond imagination removing the traces of liquor, " I am unable to give you for this service ; but I daresay a dram of something short would bo acceptable this cold morning. Mrs Rutherford, can you oblige mo so far?" Sally at once produced a bottle of gin, and Mr John Jones, messenger, of Rose Court, Oxford Street—for such, appeared from his signature, was his style and title —having accepted her hospitality, ducked his shock of hair and shambled out.

"What I have said to yonder fellow, I must aay to you John," continued the jeweller: " what you have done this morn ing must so without any immediate fee or reward. No man, says the law, must be paid for telling the truth." "I quite understand that, sir," an swered Mr Rutherford naively, "for then everybody would tell the truth, and where would the lawyers be ?" "Bui henceforth remember, Star and Signet are your friends, my man. Thoy will see you through this business, and when that's done willshow their gratitude." v What I should like better than money —though moneys allus acceptable to a poor man, Mr Signet—is to see that 'ere Lady Pargiter trounced. It's her as has fot Master Matthew and them diamonds— '11 lay my life on it." "Give me your hand, John," said Mr Signet effusively; "I wish I could put some thing in it, but I dare not. A n honest man's the uoblest work of Providence.— Lest your memory should ever want re freshing, by-the-byc, concerning this ..matter, I'll have a copy of this little docu ment, and your wife will read it out to you —you can read, my good woman, can't you ?" " Read!" exclaimed John with indigna tion. "Just you wait and hear her I Sally, give him that account of the Tetbury Pet's performance in last week's Hera." "Not just now; another day," said Mr Signet hastily. " God bless you both 1 We shall always know where to lind you when yon're wanted, shan't we, John ? Good-bye!" "Wanted !'' growled Mr Rutherford, as the jeweller tripped dowstairs. "Oh, that's what it comes to after all, is it 1 You're hand and glove with the Perlcccc, are yer?" Ignorant of the offence he had thus given, Mr Signet hurried to Paulet Street, whore he found Mr Brail a wailing him. "You have news?" said that gentleman, ptceiving a look of triumph in his sm plove's lace "N\t exactly news, but I think I have done a j^od stroke of work this morning. I've got luthcrford's evidence in black and white, and'iere it is." "And in y°ur handwriting too," ob served Mr Brljl drily. " That will be of interest to yourfrieftds> uo doubt, sir ; but it will not increat'e t'l9 value of the docu ment in the eyes d a Jury-" "Well, the man jouldn't write, you see," said Mr Signet, ago"?* 1 deal taken aback by his remark; "and i?len> * to°k care to get a witness." *

"So I see; John Joi} es> messenger, Rose Court, Oxford Street— ] nn ! We". * don't know the gentleman bY name> ut ? seom to know his handwriting- Where did you pick him up ?" \ "In Hybla Mews; a\P erfcot stranger, and, therefore, an indek "sent witness, I conclude." V ' V| "Not ao very independtov 'M* Signet. Hes one of the two watched A \ set ">*• self to look after the cabman »^- 1 1 "Bleßsnjyaoul3"fiaidMr'si gllet % X

"Well, I did tell you, leavecwrything in my hands, sir," continued Mr Brail severely ; "when you employ aDetcc ny«, it's better to do that than to meddle witli a matter yourself. Amateurs is more harm tt.au god, yon nny rely on't-Now listen to me, for I've got a /act f>r you-ft fact worth twenty washing - books luU ot noughts and cWs - youQ* woman has iust been here with a cowmunira, ion. "A young woman! Miss Ihurlow, 1 supple!" ~ w "No I don't; she was quite ano Her sort of young wornaa-cc a* knows what s what, 1 guess, and the price of it, 1 only caught a glimpse of her through the shop door, just now, hxv I'd seen her once before to-day-as I passed through the hall in Moor Street. She was muffled up, and wore a thick veil, when she asked yoor shopman if Mr Signet was in; but I dont forget faces in a hurry. So 1 just stepped out—as a friend of the firm—to a^k^ner business. She's Lady Pargiter's maid. " And what was her business ? " Your'e to hear that to-morrow. But 1 found out this much, that she hates her mistress like the devil, and lias got a grudge against her, with the means of pay ing her out. She gave me to understand that she only dealt with princpals—which means a lot of money." "What does that matter?" exclaimed Mr Signet impatiently. "Do you think she knows anything?" " Ay, I do. I'm inclined to think you re right after all. It's Lady Pargiter as is at the bottom of this business, and her maid knows it."

"I said so! I was sure of it!" ex claimed Mr S'gnet excitedly. '-But why did you let hoc go away ?" " Because she said she had no time to spare, and her absence would excite sus picion. To-morrow's her Sunday out. She's got the key of the whole mystery, ancl you mark my woids-she will come heie to sell it." CHAPTER XXVIII. A TRAITRESS IN THE CAMP. We know that Mr Signet was, in iuten tion at least, even at his comparatively advanced period of life, a man of gallantry, but it is probable that even in the hey-day of his youthful prime lie had never looked forward with such excitement to the ar rival of a fair visitor as he did on that Sun day morning to the coming of Mi^s Patty Selwood. It was not the evanescent pas sion for a pretty face, for he had never seen the young wom-m ; whether she was short or tall, dark or fair, was no matter to him whatever. Mr Urail had told Mm she was young, and lie preferred her so to he, as it was probable he might make a better bar gain with her; but otherwise, for all he cated, she might have been of the age in which Sir Coinewall Lewis refused to be lieve—a hundred—provided she retained her memory. This was the one thing irn poitant to him. She was coming, he felf, to tell him what she knew about Lady Pargiter and her diamonds. She was to leave Moor Street at half-past ten, partly because by that time shh would have made her ladyship presentable to the public, and partly because it was the hour for Public Worship, and by apolite fiction, common to establishments of all degtess, the wailing maid was supposed to be going to church. Not, of course, that "my lady's maid was to he seen on a Sunday icorning with a prayer-hook folded inside her pocket-handkerchief like any Mary Anne or Eliza Jane in ordinary domestic service. If she' did have a prayer-book (which is doubtful), it was carried without ostentation; and so neat and well-cho«en was her apparel, that un less you had seen her come out of the area gate of No. 10, you would uever have believed her to be a scrraot at all. That is to say, a man would not have done so; but I believe (such is the marvellous dis cernment of the sex in such matiers) that his wife would have detected it at a glance. She would have known that, the silk dress was a cheap silk, and the pretty collar of lace only a few pence a yard. It was not Miss Selwood's custom^ indeed, to wear either cheap silks or inferior collan on her "Sundays out," for on such occasions she was wout to lay Lady Pargiter's wardrobe under contribution; Imt on this particular day she wore her own clothes. The reason of this was that she had a fixed intention of breaking with her mistress, and to a delicate mind there were therefore obvious reasons why she should cease to put herself under obligations to her; it may al*o be added that, having determined to dig_ up the hatchet, she was exceedingly cautious not to give her ladyship an opportunity of doing her an ill turn. It was indeed in the highest degree unlikely that Lady Pargiter would miss any particular garments out of her very extensive collection, or even recognise them on Miss Selwood's back; but that youug lady was so prudent that, rather than run.the risk, she had sacrificed even her personal vanity. In a ball dre-s, with the Pargiter dia monds on her, Miss Selwood would have made a great sensation; and even without them, and as sho was, in her modest "wraps"—for the wind had risen again, and was scattering a few flakes of snow she was an attractive young person, such as foolish young men will turn round to look at for tho second time, and thereby bring themselves, deservedly, against lamp posts and pillar - letter - boxes. As if to preserve her fellow - creatures from such mischances, however, Miss Selwood dropped her veil as soon as she got clear of Moor Street, and entered an omnibus bound for the City, The establishment in Paulet StrecV of course, was closed, but she felt no hesita tion in ringing at the private bell. She had naturally no manvisc honte, and, had it been otherwise, the motives that were actuating her were too powerful and pressing to admit of irresolution. She had always desp'sed and disliked her mistress, though she had " put up with her" hitherto for the sake of wages and perquisites; but the insulting words used by 1 ady Pargiter on the previous day had suok deep and rankled; and, eiger for revenge, the opportunity of wreaking it,1 not only with impunity, but, as she anticipated, to her own great advantage, had now arrived to her.

The door was opened by Mr Brail himself, which she justly considered to be a good sign. It was evident that even the fact of her visit was considered too im portant to be entrusted to servants. At tkc same time, she was fully resolved not to be fobbed off with Mr Brail, who had already endeavoured, iv vain, to persuade her to conlide her business to his ear

"Mr signet is within, I reckon," said she, coming to a halt in the passage. " What I have to say must be said to him, and him only. You understand that?" "Of course 1 do," said Mr Brail, with tender politeness. "You mean to deal with principals only* and quite right—only Erincipals must be protected." Be wagged is head and pursed his lips, and pointed over his left shoulder to the "parlour" door.

"I don't know what you mean," said Miss Selwood bluntly. She had as many airs and graces at her command as most of her.sex—indeed, in this respect she was considerably above the average; but she knew better than-to waste them—upon a policeman.

"Well, the fact is, my dear," continued Mr Brail, no whit discomposed by his fair companion's brusqueness, "you are one of those few.'young •women "who think, .too lightly of ttieir personal attractions; and to teli the honest truth, Mr Signet's afraid of you. You wouldn't hurt him, of course not you ; you wouldn't hurt anybody, if you could help it." "Yes I would," said Miss Patty, vin dictively. "Ay, but thats because they deserve it" suggested the detective; "because they have been doing or saying cruel ' Never you mi»d abi.ut that," observed Mies Selwood, with a sudden recollection that she was showing her hand, and to a very clever player. ' 'You haven t told me what Mr Signet's afraid of me about. " Why, because he's a bachelor, and be cause you are so monstrous eood-looking. Queer reasons, you will say, for his refusal to see you alone" "Get away with you! said Patty scornfully]; "but so it is. llie fact is"—here he sank his voice to a whis per—" the old gent is engaged to be mar ried, and the party as is a-going to have him is that jealous that his eyes wouldn t be safe in. his head if she ever comes to know as he was shut up with you a:one on this Sunday morning. And 1 don't blame her," added Mr Brail, with a frankness which we fear can hardly be set down in mitigation of hi* previous "tarradiddles." " jJo you mean to say that his young^ woman is to he present while I speak to" him ?" inquired Miss Selwood, with indig nation. ~ , , , " Not a bit of it; no, he wouldn t stand that. 'But if she's se desperate lovely, Mr Brail, as you describe,' says she (for i was fool enough to let out about it),' mother must be there—that I insist upon.' Then I said, ' I'll be your mother, miss;' and so we contrived to get over her, for 1 knew you wouldn't object to me, my dear," added Mr Brail with confidence. "Well, Ido object; though if it must-be, it must be. But you won't find two heads better than one in getting the advantage of me, if that's what you're after." as that and nothing else was most distinctly what he had been ' after' in making the arrange ment in question, it was creditable in Mr Brail that he only expressed unstinted approbation at the shrewdness which had thus unmasked him. " Well, that's a good un, Miss belwood, that is—if you never say another. When a girl is so smart as you, it makes one wish as one wasn't au old man—or leastways, what is more to the purpose, wasn't tacked to an old woman—which is my case. Just walk this way, and mind the step. Mr Sig net, "—this he said as he ushered her into what tad been poor Matthew's room — " here's Miss Selwood from Moor Street, as I told you of." . . „ ~ "I am delighted to see you, miss, said Mr Signet "Pray sit down." Mr Brail behind them shook his head sedately. "He don't understand gals, he don't," was the reflection passing through his brain. " You have come, as I understand, con tinued the jeweller, with an air half concil iatory, half patronising, "to give us some information respecting these missing dia monds?" . ", "I am not aware as I ever said so, ob served Miss Selwood coldly, f Some, people, however, are so clever that they know a party's business better than the party do herself."

" The young lady is alluding to me," ob served Mr Brail playfully. " 1 only under stood, sir, that stie had got something to say respecting Lady Pargiter's share m tuis mysterious matter." "Eight you are," observed Miss Patty, nodding her head approvingly ;" that's _t c woman you have to squeeze for information. You must squeeze her pretty tight to get it." \

" I shouldn't think she was a very soft one," hazarded Mr Brail. " Soft! She hasn't got a soft part about her—except, may be, her 'cd, exclaimed Patty contemptuously. "It was precious green of her to let me see— " '•You were about to say something illus trative of Lady Pargiter's want of caution," observed the jeweller sweetly ; for Patty had stopped herielt with a scared look, much as a horseman pulls up suddenly at the edge of a chalk pit and cranes over it. She had evidently" been on the verge of letting out some secret. "Was I? I forgot, "said Patty cunning ly. " Mistress wants a good niany things as is of more account than caution—a heart for one thing." " Then you needn't be afraid of hurting her feelings," suggested Mr Brail. '' 1 hat's one comfort." . •

"Quite the contrary,"• returned Miss Selwood implacably. "If I knew how to hurt her feelings I would, as it is, I can only hurt her pocket—rich as she is, she'll feel that."

"You're a good judge of human nature, Miss Selwood," observed the jeweller. "I don't know about that," she replied tartly ; not that she was annoyed with her present company, but embittered by the thoughts within her. "lama human creature, however, like anbody else; though if you knew how some folks have treated me, yon wouldn't think it." "She doesn't treat other people particu larly well," remarked Mr Signet, calling to mind hei; ladyship's behaviour in that very room when they differed about the value of the .parure. " cut this young lady's case is a particu larly hard one," observed Mr Brail; "ex posed a* she must be to her ladyship's ill-humour day and night, and always having to be civil and respectful." "Yes, that's it, assented* Miss Selwood eagerly; "I've sometimes felt inclined to cm my tongue out for saying such smooth tbings to her, when all the time I've been longing to wring her neck. If you could hear what she says of you sometimes, Mr Signet,and especially just lately* you'd feel something of what I feel. I don't remem ber, indeed,as she ever called you a swine." "Well, I hope no1, my dear madam," interposed Mr Signet. "But 'cheat' and 'thief are everyday terms with her."

" Lady Pargiter calls me a cheat and a thief, does she ?" inquired the jeweller grimly. ■"Oh, all that, and a lot more. You were a cheat ever since you wouldn't give her something she wanted—l don't know what it was—but she called here about it "

" I remember," said Mr Sigaefc tf It was when you wouldiri give her her price for these very diamonds," observed Mr Brail. When a witness was discursive he never cut him short in full flow, but would dexterously direct him into the de sired channel.

" Ah, that explains it!" continues the waiting-maid. '' She's always been hanker ing after turning em' into money. Long ago she told me it would be a good job if the diamonds were lost or stolen, since you would then have to pay more for them than you would ever give if you bought them outright." Mr Signet glanced at Mr Brail, but that gentleman's gaze was fixed upon the cuckoo clock with a look of such innocence and placidity that,one would have thought it reminded him of spring time and his boy hood's years. "And I remember," continued Patty,

"that we agreed what a pity it was she couldn't have her cake and eat it too; that 'm is, that' she couldn't keep the jewels and yet receive the money for them." ' -All," ejaculated Mr Signet. It was hut a monosyllable, butitspokevolumes.Againhe ; louked towards Mr Brail and this time with resentment. It was monstrous that he -fe.| should not he keeping his ears open while M ' such revelations were being made. If you jl have ever been frightened out of your wits'i^mß by aehost, with un. unbelieving bedfellow -'M beside you who wouid'nt wake and was snrefMßl to call you a fool in the morning, you can app:eeiate Mr Signet's feelings at his com- fi pauion's apparent unconcern. "Then that's the very thing she planned!" exclaimed he with vehemence. A •'Lady Pargiter has got the diamonds, and yet wants to make me pay for them." '•I never said that/ observed Miss, fi Selwood promptly, . "Of course not,' inteiposed Mr Braif ' ',''.' taking out liis handkerchief and delicately ■ i" dusting the cuckoo, as that glittering bird' ' ■' was affirming it to he exactly noon : " that is only Mr Signet's own opinion : this is a free country and he has a right to express. it—m confideuce. There are circumstances moreover, th&t tend to corroborate this- '■'* view. You know ,a' Me Harvey T believe?" . i> ' Well, what then ? Of course I know him. He is Lady Parg.ter's head foot man." ' " And as fine a young fellow ay ever P" saw/ observed Mr Brail. "A man too, i" should say, who would tellthe truth •and" yethe made a statement tome which—-if i' the word of a certain lady of title is to be believed—is a falsehood. he himself had beeu sent after Mr-Matthew Helston's cab on that snowy Friday morning, which she deuies."'--, "I know it, She was a fooltotell such ilie; butshehas done more foolish! things; ; —and. worse—than that." , ' ■ ": " And you are come to tell us about; them," said Mr Brail—" for a considera- - ■ tion?" "Well—yes—or, since you put it so: ---plainly, for two considerations. * I want. Lady Pargiter prosecuted—punished— punished— that above all things; do you. understand!" , "We'll do that witlr the greatest; i pleasure,' said Mr Signet, withan alacrity ■ that almost equalled the other's vehe mence.

"Supposing we get tho ground to gaS upoD," observed Mr Brail cautiously. ■ * = " And of course I shall want some moneys|| down," added Mies Selwood. ' I "For valae received 2' remarked the de-:Bj tective drily. "Why that seems failjipj enongh.—Now, what have you got to •'■telMijj "That's very fine," returned the youngs||| lady; "but supposing I did tell'yon, and";:-.-■ you were to turn round and say, perhaps:.- ~ ' Thank you '— or not even that—who. would be the fool then?" ■ " But supposing we gave you the money first, my dear—say, ten pounds—or even twenty pounds" "(for Patty had glanced at him with great contempt), and you tell us something we knew already, or which was. of no practical service to us, don't yo.i think that would be rather hard on ml" "Your'rebig enough and strong enough .• —you two—to take if back again," urged. Miss Selwood; "whereas, if I once part ■ witn my secret—that is, the whole of it-I. could never get it back from you: I should. be done for." , , \ "I have said she was smart, but,smart's : , no word for her,'' said Mr Brail to the cuckoo. "Why, the Attorney-General : couldn't have stated a case neater." ' " The twenty pounds shall be paid you," , chimed ji Mr Signet. "I must have a.hundred,"said-MissSel wood. It was plain; that the jeweller would have consented to this, liad not, the detective interposed, "Look here, my dear," he said, " I can't allow my employer to , throw . away his. : r money by the pailful because it is. your - sweet pretty face as asks him to do it; , when we get to three figures we, niean- r ~'''.. business, into which the gentler feeling <■ cannot be permitted to enter. It seems to me that it would be fair to both parties that they should sign some sort of con tract." - " The amount to be paid to be contingent on the vnlue of the inrorniation received," added Mr Signet, as his contribution to this proposal. p "You are talking gibberish," said MiX- . Selwood bluntly. "As to. signing, I'll put r •:: my name to nothing, lest Lady Pargiter. „' ;>• should come to hear of it. "X ou don't know what that woman, is. or what she might do; .. K ', : .^ in her tantrums. Pay me down a hundred - pounds, and I'll tell you something." ■„■ . > " Something that will put us in the way of finding the diamonds ?" said Mr BraiJ. : " I don't promise you that; but it will' be something that will prevent you from '■ having to pay for them." "That is sufficient," said Mr Signet; he opened a desk and took from it twenty five-pound notes, and placed them in- the girl's hand. ; " i don't like the look of 'em," observed1 Patty dubiously. '' I never saw no fippund; ', notes so clean as this," "It's all rkcht," said Mr Brail. "We don't make 'em here, I do assure you. —Now, what's your tip?' . , ' " Well, what I have got to tell yon about them diamonds is this—though if you had been half sharp yoa might have guessed it yourself— ' do you suppose Lady Pargiter is the kind . of woman to let the grass grow under her feet, and not have sent to you for her money the very next morning after the jewels disappeared, ualess thore.was a very strong reason against it ? The reason is as she has not got Helston's receipt for'em." ■ The jeweller looked inquiringly at the > detective, and this time Mr Brad returned his glance.

" The young ■woman's right enough so- •;■ far, you may depend on't," he replied. "And . I{l we ought to have guessed it." "But'where is Mr Helston—and the diamonds?" exclaimed tht jeweller. " I don't know; leastways if I did, that wouldn't affect the value of whatl have told you. Now, if my lady writes to you for the money—which she won't dare to do, «i] however—you have only to say she has n<y claim upon you. I should like to see her face when she gets that answer.—Good morning, gentlemen;" v " .Without hurry, yet with a swift and con- ;s fident step, the young lady left the room, " and passed into the street. Mr Signet would, ,y have barred the way, but Mr JJrail pre vented him. "Let her go, "he said; "don't set her against us. Its good to have a friend in the enemy's camp/ .■■•.,. " But she knows all about the diamonds ,', and Helston's disappearance: did yoii^not hear say, " leastways, if I did know '?" , "Yesjsbut that was an afterthought or .; her own to increase her value in our eyes. She said plump enough "I don't know' to -' begin with. She has good reasons for know ing that there is no receipt, but I don't X think she knows much more. What she told—added to Kutherford's testimony—is worth a great deal to us. Though she couldn't have brought her pig to a better market, she might have sold it at a higher furiously enough, Miss Patty Selwood's ' thoughts as she took her way, westward" wererunning on the same subject which , Mr Brail had taken for his meUphor. -

STAR SATURDAY SUPPLEMENT, APRIL 15, 1882.

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