the letter, and in the act of doing so a fifty pound
note presented itself, of which, as it had been cut in two, one half
fell to the ground.

"Hallo!" exclaimed Hycy, suddenly taking it up, "this looks well--what
have we here? A fifty pound note!"

"Yes," replied Bryan; "but why cut in two? here however is something
written, too--let me see--

"'Accept this as an earnest of better things for important services. The
fine imposed upon you has been reduced to fifty pounds--this will pay
it.

"A DEEPLY OBLIGED FRIEND.'"

The two young men looked at each other for some time without speaking.
At length M'Mahon's face became crimsoned with indignation!

"Who could have dared to do this?" said he, once more looking at the
bank-note and the few lines that accompanied it. "Who durst suppose
that a M'Mahon would sell his vote for a bribe? Did Vanston suppose that
money would sway me? for this I am sure must be his work."

"Don't be too sure of that," replied Hycy; "don't be too sure that it's
not some one that wishes you worse than Vanston does. In my opinion,
Bryan, that letter and the note contained in it were sent to you by
some one who wishes to have it whispered abroad that you were bribed. It
surely could not be Vanston's interest to injure your character or your
circumstances in any sense; and I certainly think him too honorable to
deal in an anonymous bribe of that kind."

"Some scoundrel has done it, that's clear; but what would you have me to
do, Hycy? You are up to life and know the world a great deal better than
I do; how ought I to act now?"

"I'll tell you candidly, my dear Bryan, how I think you ought to act, or
at least how I would act myself if I were in your place." He then paused
for a minute and proceeded:--"You know I may be wrong, Bryan, but I
shall advise you at all events honestly, and to the best of my ability.
I would keep this letter and this note, and by the way, what else can
you do?--I would say nothing whatsoever about it. The secret, you know,
rests with yourself and me, with the exception of the party that sent
it. Now, mark me, I say--if the party that sent this be a friend, there
will be no more about it--it will drop into the grave; but if it came
from an enemy the cry of bribery will be whispered about, and there will
be an attack made on your character. In this case you can be at no loss
as to the source from whence the communication came--Fethertonge will
then most assuredly be