The Amateur Gentleman

This window, you may remember, faces north, and

now as I lift my eyes I can see that the shadow is still dark

over London, and very threatening. Come to me soon,

and that God may keep all shadows from you is the

prayer of Your

CLEONE.

"Now," said he, "I should like to take the liberty o' axing you one

or two questions, Mr. Barty, sir,--or as I should say, p'r'aps,

Mr. Beverley."

"What," exclaimed Barnabas, starting up, "it's you again, Mr. Shrig?"

"That werry same i-dentical, sir. Disguises again, ye see. Yesterday,

a journeyman peg-maker vith a fine lot o' pegs as I didn't vant to

sell--to-day a groom looking for a job as I don't need. Been

a-keeping my ogles on Number Vun and Number Two, and things is

beginning to look werry rosy, sir, yes, things is werry promising

indeed."

"How do you mean?"

"Vell, to begin vith," said Mr. Shrig, taking the chair Barnabas

proffered, "you didn't 'appen to notice as that theer letter had

been broke open and sealed up again, did ye?"

"No," said Barnabas, staring at what was left of the seal.

"No, o' course you didn't--you opened it too quick to notice

anything--but I did."

"Oh, surely not--"

"That theer letter," said Mr. Shrig impressively, "vas wrote you by

a certain lady, vasn't it?"

"Yes."

"And I brought you that theer letter, didn't I?"

"Yes, but--"

"And 'oo do ye suppose give me that theer letter, to bring to

you,--the lady? Oh no! I'll tell you 'oo give it me,--it vas--shall ve

say, Number Two, the Accessory afore the fact,--shall ve call 'im C.?

Werry good! Now, 'ow did C. or Number Two, 'appen to give me that

theer letter? I'll tell you. Ven Number Vun and Number Two, B. and C.,

vent down to Hawkhurst, I vent down to Hawkhurst. They put up at the

'Qveen's 'ead,' so I 'angs about the 'Qveen's 'ead,'--offers myself

as groom--I'm 'andy vith an 'orse--got in the 'abit o' doing odd

jobs for Number Vun and Number Two, and, last night, Number Two

gives me that theer letter to deliver, and werry pertickler 'e vas

as I should give it into your werry own daddle, 'e also gives me a

guinea and tells as 'ow 'e don't vant me no more, and them's the

circumstances, sir."

"But," said Barnabas in frowning perplexity, "I don't understand.

How did he get hold of the letter?"