a
gentleman. I am afraid you will forget yourself, and instead of being Mr.
Richard, will act the part of ruffian Dick."

"Never do you fear; 'ruffian Dick' knows what he's about, and you'll see
how handsomely he can act 'Mr. Richard' to-night."

"Very well."

With this understanding between them, they returned to the inn, which, by
the way, was a very primitive establishment, not only in construction, but
also in the character of the entertainment.

Bill worked his card so as to draw Hadley into conversation, and
incidentally, but designedly, remarked that they (himself and his
companion) had passed through C---- two days before.

"Indeed!" said Hadley; "I am well acquainted in C----. Did you hear any
news there?"

"Well, no, not in C----, but a little way beyond the town a horse had been
stolen the night previous, which caused considerable excitement in the
neighborhood."

"How far beyond was it?"

"About five or six miles, I should think."

"Did you learn any of the particulars?"

"Why, yes, pretty much all of them, I think."

"I know pretty much everybody in that region, and it may be that it was
some of my friends from whom the horse was stolen. What was the owner's
name, if you heard it?"

"Mandeville, I think; yes, Mandeville."

"Mandeville! I know him well. Has he any idea who took the horse?"

"I think he _suspects_ some one for the theft--a young man that had been in
the neighborhood, but disappeared the same night of the theft, and no one
knew where he had gone."

"In the neighborhood," repeated Hadley, musingly, as if thinking aloud. "It
must have been the stranger; and yet I thought he was gone some time ago."

"I don't think it was a stranger; they told us his name, but I do not know
whether I can call it to mind or not. Let me see, I think it was Hardy or
Hartly, or some such name."

At this juncture, Dick caught Bill's eye, and gave him a look, as much as
to say: "What the d----l do you mean?--Are you going to excite his
suspicions and send him back home to clear himself from imputation?" And
Bill as plainly replied by looks: "Never do you mind. I'll fix it up
right."

While these magnetic looks were exchanged between the murderous reprobates,
Hadley was engaged in trying to think if there was anybody by either of the
names mentioned in the vicinity where Mandeville lived, but he could
remember no one. All at once the thought struck him that he himself might
be the person accused