THE WEIRD SISTERS.

A ROMANCE.

BY RICHARD BOWLING,

AUTHOII OIT "TUEMrSXKRY OFICILLiED,

PAKT I, &, PLAIN GOLD GUARD.

CHAPTER I. A CONSCIENTIOU3 BTJECiLAK,

Me Henry Walter Grey eat in his dining room sippiii;.' claret on the evening of Monday, tha 27th August, ISGS, Eh house waa iv the subuibi o£ tbe city of Daneford,

Mr Groy was a man of about forty-live years or iign, looking no more than tUirty eieht. Ho w.is tall, broa^l, without the least tendency to corpulency, and yet pleasantly roundel anl full. There was no angularity or harshness in hi* face or figure. The lignr« wii' aciivelo/ikirigand powerful, the face open, Joyon", and benignant The Lair had begun to thin at his forehead ; this gave his face a soothing expression of con tented calm. liis forehead was brond and -white ; liis eyes were constant, candid, and kindly ; his cose was larae, with quickly-mobile sen sitive nostrils ; and his mouth well formed and full haviui.' a sly uptwist at oae cor nor, indicating strong sympathy with humour. He wore neither beard nor moustache. His complexion was bright without being florid, f.ur without bcina; white. HU skin wassm-otVi as a yoin« girl's cheek. He stcod six feet without his boots. He was tlli* evening in tin do pest miuruing for his wife, whom hi; hai lost.on Friday, tho 17th of in-it month, August. Although h-j occupied o>o of the most important positions in Dancford, no person who knew him, or hai heard of him frooi a Danefouliau, tvar called him either Henry 0' Walter. He was nnivovally known as \Vat Grey. Uanoford believed him to be enormously rich. He was tho owner of the Dauotord Bank, an institution wli'ch did a lar^e bu-»iue<s and held its head high. Indeed, h- Daneford it was almost un necessary to add tho bunker's surnatueto his Ulirutien name; and if anyone sdd, '•' Wat did so-and-so,' and you naked "Wat who?" the purveyor of the news would kno.v you for an alien or a nobody in the city. The youn? mnn w.iishippe I him as one of them-elvc, who, despitu his gaiety and lightheartednos', had prospered in the world aud k.",it his youth and made his money, and wis me of themselves still, aud would continue ti ba oao of them as loug as he lived. Elder men liked him for the solid pru dence which girded all his business tran sactions, and which, while it enabled him to be with tbe y»uug, allowed him to exer cise over hi-i junior* in years the influence of an equal combined with tho authority of experience. Lad* of twmty never thought of him as a foiiey, nnd moo of thirty looked up n lam as a youpger man who had learned the folly of vicious vanities very much footer than others : and conse quently thsy confideJ in him, and subm tted themselves to him with dooiity. Young wen a-s'inbkd at his bouse, but there wer*no o gi«'s ; elder men came, aiul_w<mt away cheered and diverted, and no wait the le?s rich or wi«" btcau-c discussions of im portaut matters hid b-eu oalivened with interlude) i f '.rayer discourse. Wat Grey win on- ot the mo-t active men iaDweford !!<-• was Chai man of the Chamber of Comin"ce. of (he C miner cial Club, and »f the Harbour rtoard. He was V'C -chairman of tho Dane'ord Boit Chib, and Trewu er of the Poor's Chri«tniai Coal Fund. If he w»9 i lo'i. ho was liberal. Ho sub scribed splendidly to all the local charities, but never as a public man or a* owner of the Daneford Bank. What he thought it wiafi to give he always scut from "Wat," as tli >ugh h •■ p izod in ire highly the dis tinctio'i of fmiiliarity hi* town had con ferred up i him thau any conventional array of Chrvtun and surname*, or any title of col* courtesy or routim1 right. It wa« n t of'on h- dropped from hi* chceful level of bigli-apirited and rich animal enjoy nieut into ••cntimcntalism. but on onn oc cast ii he said tn >oum? Felloe : " I'd rather Vc ' VVn'' to my friends than Sir Thing umbob llijj.ainarigs t) all the rest of the world." The-t; wa« uot'uni; Paueford could have retU'od him. He had bc-n ma\or, an I caold be Lib Tal memb r of Farlia-nent for the anc:en(; nnd small constituency any time h_> chose whoii the Lib.-r.il seat was vacant Daneford was one cf th 'se con stituencies W::is!i give one hand to one side and the "tt'or h.n>t to the other, and have uo Land freo for action. Wa te- Grey hal always diclne! th-s s a'; lis w^uld siy : "1 i.m toi young yet, far toi vounEj. As I grow older 1 shall grow wis r and more corrupt. Tiien you c>n put m* in, aud I shall have prca pie^ure in rattling for a baron tcy. Hi, h■, hi 1" Of late, howevor, it had been rumoured llie chance <>t getting tho rich banker to consent to tnk-i 'ho seat (this was the way everyone put i') had increased, and that he might b" induced to stand ut toe nexc Tacancv. Th-u nil who knew of his perwaal qualities, hs imnvrise knowledge of. finance, and his large fottune. and tlut if he eh so he <"Uh; be Chincellor of the Exchequer iutinv; and after hi< retirfmnt .from bu>ines-, aai purchase of an estate, the refusal ot a peerage was certain to COtno hi* way. As he cat sipping bis caret that Monday ovc* i'g of the 27th of August, 186G, nb lac was a3 placid as a Becret well. Who hor ho wa< thinking of his dead wife and sorrowing for hor, or revolv ing the ordinary matters of his bauking business, or rtovising some scheme for the redaction of taxation in the city, or dallying mentally with the sirens who sought to en suarc him iv parliamentary honours, could no more In ga herei from his lace than fxooi tho dull heavy clouds that hung low over the sultry laud abroa'l. It wa« not often, he had to smoke hii after-dinner ci«ar and sip his after-dinner claret alone ; men were always glad to dine with him, and ho was always glad to have Ihoui; but tho nowness of his black clothes aud of tho liands on his ha'.s in the hall ac couutcd for the absence of guests. Ho was not dressc 1 for dinner One of the things wlilc i had made hi* tubloso frea and jovial was that a man initiht sit down fr> it in a coat of any cut or col uir, and in top-boots andbrccchos if he liked. Before hii bereave ment he would fcay: "Mrs G-ey—alth-ugh she miy not sit ■yri'.k us—has an aut'quated objection to a man dining i" hii shirt-Bloevos. I have often expostulated with her unrea?onablo prejudice, but I c»u't get her to concede no coat at all. You may wear your hit nnd your gloves it you like, but for Heaven's sake conn- in v coal of some kind. If you can't manage a coat, a jacket will do spleniidly.' . Mr* Ur«:y never dined out. In fact she saw little oompany; tea was always sent iato the dining-room. Mr Grey had not got more thin halt-way through hii cigar ou that evening of the 27tU-! of August wheu a servant knocked and on tcred.

ihe masttr, whose face was towards the .window, turned round his head slowly, and said in a kindly voice : " Well, James, what is it ?" "A man, air, wants to see you." v Jumes was thick-set, low-sized, near sighted, and dull. He had been a private soldier in a foot regiment, aud had been obliged to leave because of his, increasing near-sightedness. But he had been long enough in uniform to acquire the accom plishment of strict and literal attention to ordera. and the complete suspension of his own faculties of judgment and discretion. his master was several inches tal er than Jam s, the latter looked in the pre»i-nce of the Danker like a clumsy ele phant beside an elegant panther. '•A man want» to see me!"- cried Mr Grey, ia astonishment, not unmixed with a sens.) ef thn ridiculous " What kiad of man ? and what h his business?" He glanced good-hutnouredlv at James, but owing to the shortness of the servant's sight the expression of the master's faco was waste 1 in air. James, who had but a small stock of observation and no fancy, replied respect full> : . "He neems a common man, sir; like a man you'd see iv the ntreet." " Ab," said Mr Giey, with a smilo ; " that sott of a man, is it? Ah! Wnich, Jamoi.do you meiu : the sort of man you'd see walking iv the streets, or standing at a public-house corner ?'' Again Mr Grey Bmiled at the droll duluess and droller simplicity of bia servant. A gleam of light came into James s dim eyes upon finding t!io description uarrowed down to tho selection of one or two chjrac tertstica, and he said, iv a voice of solemn sagacity: — " The back ot his coat is dirty, sir, as if he'd been leaning against a public-house wa'l." "Or as if he had been carrying a sack of corn on his back?" demanded the ma^er, laughing softly, and brushing imaginary cicar-aihos off tho polished oak-table with his white curved little lingfir. For a moment James stood on his heoU in stupefied doubt and dismay at this close questioning. iio was a man of action, not of thought. Had his master shouted, " Ititjht wheel—quick march 1" he would have gone out of the window, through the glass, without a murmur and without a thought of reproach ; but to be thus io terroaated on subleties of appearance made him feel like a blindfold man, who is cer tain ho is about to be attacked, but does not know where, by whom, or with what weapon. He resolved to risk all and cscaoe. "I think, sir, it was a public-house, tor I smelt liquor." "That is conclusive," said the master, laughing out at last. "That is all right, Jaioes, lam too lazy to go down to see him. Show him up here, stop a moment^ James. Let him come up in five minuteu." The servant left the room, and as he did so tho master laughed still more loudly, ami then chuckled softly to himself, muttering : .... '• He thought tho man had been leaning against a public-house because he smelt of liquor ! Ha, ha, ha ! Myquaiat James,, you will be the death ot your master. You will, indeed." When he bad hnisbed his laugh he dis missed the idea of James finally with a roguish shrug of his shoulders and wag of bit head.

Then ho drew dowu the gasalier, pushed an eaorm«>u« «asy-chair in tront oi the empty firo-pUce, pulled a small table be tween thn diuiug-table and the easy-chair, aud placed an ordinary oak and green dininK-raom chair at the cornor of the diniug-table near the window ; then he sat down on t c ordinary chair.

When this was done he ascertained that, the diawer of the small table opened easily, closed in the drawer softly, threw himself back in hit own chair, and began smoking slowly, blowing the smoke towards the ceiling without taking the cigar from his lip?, and keeping his legs thrust out before him, and his hands deep in his troupers pockets. Presently the door opened ; Jamei saij, "The man, sir I" the door closed again, aud all was still.

"Come over and sit down, my man," said the banker, in a good-natured tono of voice, without, however, removing his eyes from the ceiling. To this there was no reply by either sound or gesture.

Mr Grey must have been pursuing sonic humorous thought over the ceiling; for wheu h« at last dropped his eyes and looked towards tho door, he said, with a quiet sigh, as though the ridiculous in the world was killing him slowly : " it's too droll, too droll." Then to the man, who still stood just inside the door: " (Jome over here ana sit dovw, my man. I have been expecting a cill from you. Come over and sit down. Or would you perfer 1 should send the brougham for you ?" As he turned his eyes round, they fell on the figure ot a man of forty, who, with head deprtsaed and shoulders thrust up high, and a battered, worn sealskin cap held in both hands close together, thumbs upper most, was standing on one leg, n. modul oi obsequious servility.

The man made no reply; but as Mr Groy's eyes fell upon him he substituted tbe log drawn up for the one ou which ho had been standing, thrust up his shoulders, and pressed down his head in token of un speakable humility under the honour of Mr GrnyVs glance, and of profound grati tude for the honour of Mr Urey's speech.

" Coma, my man ; do come over and sit down. The conversation ii becoming monotonous already. Do come over and sit down here. I can't keep on saying 1 come' all the evening. I assure you I nava expected this call from you. Do come and sit down.'1

Mr Groy motioned the man to the large easy-chair in front of him. At last tbe man moved, stealthily, fur tively, across the carpet, skirting the fur niture cautiously, as though it- consisted of infernal-machines which might go oil at any moment. His dress wai ragged and torn; his face, a long narrow one, of maho gany colour; his eyes were bright full blue, tbe one good feature in his shy unhandsome countenance.

"S>t in that chair," said Mr Grey blandly, at the same time waving his hand towards the capacious and luxurious easy-chair. "Please sir, I'd rather stand," said the man, in a low, snaking tone. The contrast between the two was remarkably striking: the one, large and liberal of aspect, gracious and humorous of manner, broad faced, generous looking, perfectly dressed, scrupulously neat; the other, drawn together, mean in form, narrow of feature?, with avaricious mouth and uuatendy eye, with ragged and soiled oletaes,

"oitdown, my good man ; sir, down. I assure you the couvcrsatioa will coutinue to be very monotonous until you take my ad vice, and sit down iv that chair. You need not bo afraid of spoiling it, Sit down, and then you may at your leisure tell me what Icnu do for you." Mr Urey may have smiled at the whim of Nature in forging such a counterfeit of

human nature as the man before him, or he may have smiled at the obvious dislike with which his visitor surveyed the chair. The smile, however, was a pleasant, cordial,, happy one, He drew iv his legs, sat upright, and, leaning his left elbow on the small table before him, pointed to the chair with his right hand, aud kept his right hand fixed in the attitude of pointing until the man, with a scowl at the chair and a violent upheaval of his shoulders and depression of his head, sank among the sott cushions.

"Now we shall get on much more com fortably," said Mr Grey, placing what re mained unsmoked of his cigar on the ash tray beside him, clasping his hands over his waistcoat, ana bending slightly forward to indicate that his best attention was at the disposal of his visitor. " What is your name ?'

"JoeFarlog." "Joe Farle?, Joe Farleg," mused, halt aloud, Mr Grey. "An odd name. Why iin I fated always to meet people with odd ways or odd names? Well, never mind answering that question, Joe," he said, more loudly, In an indulgent tone, a< though he felt he would be violating kiii'lliuess by insisting on a reply which had little or nothing to do with Farleg. He continued. "1 don't think i have ever s en you or heard your name before ; and although 1-iiid not think it improbable you, or someone like you, w.midcall, 1 could not kuow exaotlv whom I was to see. Before we no auy farther, I aik you : Haven't 1 been good to you without even knowing who you were?"

"Good to me, sir!" cried the man, ia surprise. "Ye*; I have been very good to you in not settiug the police after you." The man tried to struggle up out of the chair, but, unused to a seat ot the kind, struggled for a moment in vain. At la*t he gaiuod hi* feet, and with an oath de uiauded : " How did you know 1-did it? Are you f,oiog to set them af ier me new ?" His blue eyes awiftly explored the room to find if tho oflisors hud sprung out of con cealment, aid to oscertaiu the chancus of his escape; With a kindly wave of bis hand, Mr Grey indicted the chair. "I have not oven spoken to the polico about the matter, and I do not intend sneaking to them. Hit down in'your eh iir, Joe, and let v.-> talk the matter over quietly." "I'm d—d if I sit in that chair again. It smothers me."

He regarded the banker with uneasiness and the chair wifh torror.

Mr Groy laughed outright. The laughter seemed to soothe Farleg a little. He cast tin large blue eyes once more hastily round the worn, thon regarded the banker for an instant, and dropped his glance upon the chair. ' Nothing could have been more re-' ns-'unng ttian the brilliantly-lighted dining room, the good-naturod, good-humoured face of its master, and the harmlessly se ductive appearence of the chair. Karleg was ashamed of his foare; upon another invitation, and an assurance that nothing futthor would be said by his host until ho had returned to his former position, he threw himself once more into the coin to rtable seat.

" And now, Joe, that wearo in a position to go on smoothly, what can I do for you ?" "You remember, sir, the night of the robbery, sir?" " Yes; you broke into my houss, into one of the tower-rooms, on the eveuing of the 17th of this month, and you carried off a few things ot no treat value." "And you're'not going to send tbe police after mo!" "JNo."

Farleg leaned forward in his chair until hi» e'bows rented on his knees.

" You missed tho things. You said a while ago you expected me, or whoever did tho robbery; was that a true word ? Pid you expect whoever did the robbery to come and see yon ?" " I did. 1 could not be sure you would come, but when I mfcsed the things I thought you might oall. There was, of course, tho chaiccyon might not." "That's it, Well, I have come, you see. I found soajo rings, and 1 kept three ; but I thought yon might like to have this one, and I brought it to you, as I am about to leave the country. Look at it. It's a plain gold guard." As Farleg said theso words his eyos, no longer wandering, fixed themselves on the face of Mr Grey. For an instant the face of the banker puckered and wrinkled up like a blighted leaf. Almost instantly it smoothed out again ; and, with a nland smile, ha said— : " Thank you very ninch. It was my poor wife's guard ring. You were very kind to think of brinßiiik; it back to me."

As he spoke ho began softly opening the drawer of Hie little table that stood between him aud the burglar.

CHaPTER 11. A Gbherous Barker, The ring lay on tho little tablo. Mr Grey did not take it up, but left it where Farleg had placed it. When tbn banker had pulled out the drawer half-a-dozen inches, he looked up from the ring, and, with a glance of kindly interest, said :

"So you intend leaving the country. Why? And where do you purpose going I" Fariog looked down^at his boots, ana thrust up his shoulders* as be answered :

" Well, sir, things are getting hot, and the place is getting hot. It isn't every one has so much consideration as you for a man who has to live as best he can—"

" Poor fellow I"

" And if I and the eld woman don't clear out of this soon, why. they'll be sending me away, ' Carriago paid : with eire." Ho paused, raised his head, and turned tho.-o prominent blue eyes on tho face of tbe banker. The latter was drawing small circles on the table in front of him with the white forefinger of his left hand; his eyes intently followed his finger, his white, right hand rested on the edge of the partly open drawer.

Mr Grey said, softly and emphatically : "I understand, I understand. Go on, and don't be afraid to speak plainly, Joe. May I ask you what you were before you de voted yourself to your present—profession ? Your conversation and way of putting things are far above the average of men of your calling," with a smile of ely interest. "Iwasaolcrk, sir," auswered the man meekly. "In a bank?" demanded the banker, looking up brightly, "No, sir ; in a cprn-store." " Ah, I thought it could'nt have been in a bank. We are not bo fortunate as to have men of your talents and enterprise in banks. But I interrupted you. Pray, pro ceed. You were about to say—" 'l'he invitation was accompanied by a gracious aud encouraging wavu of the loft hand.

" I was thinking, sir, that, it would be best if I went away of my ownaccoid; and I thought I'd just mention this matter to you when I called with the guard ring of your good lady that's dead and gone."

"Quito right, quite right. And natu rally you thought that I might be willing to lend.you a hand on your way, partly out of feeling for you in your difficult posi tion, and partly out of gratitude to you for

your kind thoughtfulnesa in bringing me back the guard rin<? of poor Mrs Grey." The white forefinger of the white left hand went- on. quietly describing the circles, but cirples were one after the other increasinc in circumferoace. The white[rigtat hand still rested on the edge of the partly-opened drawer. . , "That's ij,;';saidrFarleß/Wnh a sigh of relief, It was such a comfort to deal with a sensible man, a man Who did most of the talking and thinking for you. •' sfou kaow, sir, I found the rings %: ■ " Quito bo, quite so," Mr Grey gare up describing circles, and for a while- devoted himself to parallelo grams. When he had finished each figure lie regarded thus invisible design for a while as though comparing the result of hisiafrour with an ideal parallelogram. Then, be coming dissatisfied with his work, he be,>an afre»h.

" Quite co," he repeated, after a silence of a few moments. " You need not trouble youreelf to go iinto detail. In fact, I prefer you should not, as my feelings are still much occupied, with tuy great los*. "Will you answer a few questions that may help to allay and soothe'ray feelings ?" : ."', He ceased drawing the parallelograms, and looked up at the other with a glance of friendly enquiry. Vitleg threw himself back in his chair, and replied, gravely : " I'll auswer you, sir, any question it may please you to put."

"At what hour on the evening of the 17th did you break, into this house?" ,

'• hight o'clock." "By Jove, Joe, you were an adventurous fellow to break into a house in daylight! I do think, in the face of such au enterpris ing spirit, yon ought to seek a new country, where you would be properly appreciated, ¥ou have do chance here. G •>' to same p'aco where the telegraph has not yet struck toot. -.ml yet for a man of your peculiar calling a dense population and civilisation are re quisite. Your case, Joe, interests me a good deal, and, rely upon it, I shall always lie glad to hear of your welfare and pros perity. I feel for you in your little diffi culty, and applaud your boldness. Fancy, breaking into a man's house at eight o'clock of an August evening! And how did you get in, Joe? I suppose by a ladder the workmen had left against the wall?"

"Yes, sir. It was seeing a ladder against thb wall that put the idea into my head."

The banker looked at Fat leg with an ex prcß-i-'nof unlimited admiration. " What a general you would make, Jog !" cried Mr Grey, ia pleasant euthn-. siasm. "You would use every bulrush as cover for your men ! .And po, whoa you saw the ladder against the wall, you thought to yourself you might as well slip up that ladder and hayealook round ? Whst a pushing man of business, too ! And you were alone?" ' "Yes." "You entered the tower first-floor, and gathered up a few things, this nog of ray poor wife among the rest. But I don't think you went into any other room 1"

"No, sir." " And I don't think yon could have been very long in the room; now, about how long ?" " Short of an hour. I heard yon coming back, find I cleared out then." " Ah 1 you heard mo coming back, and you cleared out then. Quite so. No doubt it was inconsiderate of me to come back and disturb you. But, you know, I was in a great state of anxiety and alarm — anxiety | and alarm which were un fortunately only too well founded, as' you,' do doubt, have heard; we need not dwell on that painful event now. May I ask you if you nave spoken of this affair to any one t" "No. 11 " Not to a soul ?" " Not to a soul." "What a discreet general you would make ( Upon my word I think you ouifht to go to California. Sau Francisco is the place for one so daring and one so cautions. What a dashing cavalry leader you would make! And yet it would be a pity to »,hrow you away on cavalry! Your natural place would be ia the engineers." Mr Grey half closed his eyes, and, gazed dreamily for a few. seconds at the reclining figure of the man before him., Then hitching his chair a few inches nearer to the small table standing between him and Farleg, lie said, in a drawling tono, as he softly slipped his hand into the drawer :

"I admire you for you ingenuity in availing yourself of that ladder, and for your boldness in entering tbe house in daylight. But lam completely carried away with, enthusiasm when 1 think of your coming here to me, tolling me this tale, ami preserving the admirable calm ness which you display. Indeed, Joe, lam amazed. ■' Thank you, sir." "Now, how much money did you think I'd be likely to give to help yon out of this scrape, and ont of this conn try ?" ," Mr Grey, you're a rich man." The banker bowed and smiled. " And that ring ought to be worth a heap of money to you." " A guinea, or perhaps thirty shillings. At the very most I should say two pounds,?' "But, sir, considering that it was your wife's, and that she wore it oa the very day " " Quite so. On the very day of her wedduu' " " That is not what I meant-—" "But that is the aspect of ths affair which endears the ring to me,' Pray letus keep to the business iv hand. Yon bring me a rine which I own I should not like you to hare kept from me. You make mo 8 present of this ring, and you ask me to help you out of the country. Mow, how much would be rafficient to help you oat of the eouotry, and settle you ana your wife comfortably in a new home?" V A thousand pounds.'1 11A thousand pounds I My dear Joe, if you were about to represent the majesty of the kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland at a foreign court, yon could ask little more for travelling expenses and cornmenciuy existence. A thousand pound* 1 What a lucrative business yours must have been to make you hops you could get a thousand pounds for the goodwill of it I" '' But it Is not every daj a thing like this turns up. You have a lot of waiting before you get your chance. In fact my chance did not belong to the ordinary business at all."

" Quite so. It was a kind of perquisite. Well, now, Joe, don't you think if I gave you twenty-five pounds' as a present it would fully provide for your outward voyage?" Mr Grey made the proposal with a winning and an enticing gesture of his left hand.

Farley looked down at his boots again, ai>d said very slowly, and with an accent that 'loft no doubt of his earnestness and determination: "It isn't often a chance of this kind turns lup, and I can't afford to let it pass, and I have a wife looking to me. You have no one looking to you, not even a wife." , 11 ■ ■■'■■l; f!

" Quite so/ .; ' " ■ " Well, I want the money. 1 want to

ryand set an honest start'lam?^ hinkl shall buy land '•' We'«Hl' 'Out of the thousand pounds»" W4 Mr Grey with a look of ammei « n ; 'WaJ' "Oatof the thousand poa h r°«' going to give. Can't you see" j"« Parlejf, sitting up in his chair, lea'otJSN ' his elbows on the small t »ble bet ff Z^ > "can't you see it's to your advaaf^ well as mine to give me a large sum $"• "Candidly I cannot," answered M> tapping Karleg encouragingly on t h?.§fc derwith his white left hand. riS how itia, I am quite willim? f« p V vinced," '.«,?<* • "Well, if I take your five-andw spend it here, or- I spend itgettinHW and then I'm stranded, don't yon u WV'1 "Go on," with two. soft «i^*P:: pats from the lett white hand. V7r^i ' "Of course, as soon as I find ffitLi,7* ¥ : up I come to you, or I write toS,W more, and that would be only ?°< your time."' '."feliiid "Bat," said Mr Grey, with a .I,?' and a' sly wag of his head,,,"jfy'"ti the thousand you might spend iiv 8" there, and then you mi^ht a»aiu in r or ing to ma. Ah, no ! J;;e, I doaVruTf-'.; would do to give you that thoUsJ^tt can have the twenty-five now ifTrii" "Well, sir, I've looked intotti^'. deeper than that. When you »|!*. ' thousand, I and my wile wilruS^1' country, go toAmerica, out West to?" Und. There we shall settle doiS?t spectable people, and it would bsS,^ vantage to me to rake up the n^T ' W' wa^ settled down and prosperous ft* if you please, I'll have the thoasani»! li'> i There was respectful resolati Oo >j rt ,l leg's voice as he spoke. The facet/?' two men were not more than i'M* ■ now. They were looking as ttiMift, ■ oae another's eyes as two eSS fencers when the play begins. MfS;' face ceased to move, and t»ok a «ettWf-^ pression of gracious badinage. °^" "1 think, Joe," said he', "thu iW manage the matter more economiialw *i your way." . ,* rs» " What is that way, sir?" : •, "As I told you before, I lookoi a very enterprising man. First, yotrK into a mans house ia daylight,'^ you come and beard the lion j B i,;. A" You come to the man, whose faonuS honoured by a visit through a \riaiw2 yon say to him-I admit1 that no tM I could have b«en better taste tbur manner of saying it—-—" ,W '"Thank you, sir, but yon mflfod kindly and so gentleman-like." "Thank you, Joe; bnt t'tnualtfrßiM' pliraent you aßaio, or wi shsll i6 tZ further than compliments to.pbht a r was sayiog, you ask him for M i' m^ a thousand pounds to help yoj Jfii ■ the country and into a respectable BdV o life. Indeed, all my sympathy is win, T . iayour good intention, but then 1 foS* think of myself—" "m " "Bat you're a rich man, sir, and to M a thousand pounds isnt mach, ujv everythins to me. It will make'm£ and help me out of a way of'JigljgJ: took to until driven to it," j>leafeir lr iM " Well put, very well put. ffmtMHi my position. This is my plin'kt,™ hear what you think of it: Ob tie i\M or evening of the 17th you break into m . bouse; on the night or evening 01% 27th you visit ms for some purpoaot other— —" "To give you back your dead tip';

" Quite so. Ton m?y be sure 1 amowiii looking no point in the csse. Let me n. ceed with my view, You and I don't pt on well together, and you attack mt, J« ate clearly the burglar, and I am attacked by you, and I defend myself with force. Yon kill me ; that is no good to yon, iw won't make, a penny by my death, Bit suppose it should unhappily occur that the rerulver, on the trigger of which, Joe, I mi bare my finger, and the tmizz'e of whici 1b about a foot from your heart, suppi it should go off, what tben? .You.eta' see the accident would be all. in my favour." Farlc uttered a load whistle. • For a second no word was spoken, So movement was made in that room. .'. All at once, apparently from the feet of the two men, a wild alarmed scream of i woman shot up through tlie silence, and shook the silence into echoes of chattering fe»r.

As though a blast had struck the banker's face, it shrivelled ■up like a withered leaf. Something heavy iell bom his hand in the drawer, and he tose slowly, painfully, to his feet, Farleg rose also, keeping his face in the' same relation, and on t£e same level aa the banker's until the pinched face of the banker stole slowly above the burglar's.. , The hands of Grey rested on the table, His eyes we're fixed on vacancy. He seemed to be listening intently, spellbouud by some awful vision, some distracting anticipation intimately., concerned witti appalling voices. . ■ alowly from his lips trickled the* whii; pered words :»• What"was that?'" "My wife's Yoioe," whispered Farl«. " Yon thought it was yours. When I told yon no one knew, I meant I hid no pal. But my wife knows all, arid if anything came amiss she'd tell all." "I understand," the banker answered, still in a whisper. The dread was alowly descending from his face, and ha made,a hideous attempt at a smile. ... "I, too," pursued Faileg, "wasiifraidwd might quarrel, and left her there, frrone whißtle she was to scream out tMhw sbe was on the watch. For two whistles she was to run away and call help. Do jou see, sir?" ■ , _ . ■" Very clever. Very neat ■ You MW won the odd trick." . . ' „ "And honours are divided." "Yet. How is that money to team you t" • : '* ■"' ' :l ■ Vl' '■' "I'd like it in gold, sir;« vonPlflUß Yon can send it ma large parcel, »i«*; sir, or a large box, so that no one need** the wi*r. I'm for your own good aa wu as my own in this matter." ■ „ • " Yon shaU have the money thediyatw to-morrow at four o'clock.- It will wok you from London. Nmrgft ■■■'[ . W, •'Well,after:what ha. been doßf^ttJ onr coming.toabargain,shakSlMn^WßV said the man in a tone of insolent trinmpn. " Go, Mr. ■■ Go at once I'1 ■ , •• Honours are not divided; iWg to vonr one. Give me your band, oldm&n. Job Farleg will never split «n a pal, . With a shudder of loathing the bahket held Out his band. . A• t li.': As .oon aa he was alone, the ~t the door was shut, he took up the claret M. poured the consents over hi* right h»n« w cleanse it from the contamination of that ouch anftheu walked hastUv :g* down the room, waving his band througn the air until it dried. .....Mm "A thousand isn't much to BOMW MB- But will it secure him t rhatisthequestion. Yes. I think it will.. I think the coast a now clear. With prudence and patewol can do all now," he «h sp«ed.to huMeU wtth hi 3 left hand on hw fo«»««L "JJ Grey, you've had a close shave. Ha4r pallVd that trigger all would have been o^. Now you have a dear stage, and niusue dream of this."

STAR SATURDAY SUPPLEMENT, f[Aiy^9» 1883.

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