his expression was such as
to confirm the solicitor's previous opinion, that the man was a
little bit mad.

When he had finished his perusal (he thought at the time that he
should never forget a single word of that disgraceful letter), Oswyn
sat in silence for some minutes, intently watching Mr. Furnival's
struggles with a large bundle of papers and a small black bag.

The letter had, if such a thing were possible, increased his
contempt for the writer; that the man was insincere (Oswyn would
have used a far stronger term) he had been aware from the beginning;
now he knew that he was a coward, a creature almost unworthy of his
hatred.

A quick thought struck him, and he smiled.

"We won't burn this--at present, at any rate," he said quietly. "Is
there anything else for me to read?"

The lawyer shuffled the remaining papers together quickly.

"I think not: these are chiefly bills which have since been paid.
Will you keep that letter, or do you wish us to do anything about
it?"

Oswyn deliberated for a moment, with a curious expression flitting
over his face, biting his lip and frowning slightly, as he gazed at
the fireplace, where Rainham's long-cherished letters from Eve and
Lady Garnett's delicate, witty compositions were represented by a
little heap of wavering black ashes.

The lawyer looked at his watch uneasily.

"I beg your pardon," said Oswyn quickly; "I needn't keep you any
longer. Will you let me have an envelope? I dare say they can give
me Mr. Sylvester's address downstairs--Mr. Charles Sylvester, the
barrister?"

"The new member, you mean, of course?" said the lawyer. "He has
chambers in Paper Buildings, No. 11. Do you know him?"

"I am going to send him this letter," said Oswyn briefly, folding it
up and bestowing it in the envelope which Mr. Furnival had given
him. "Thanks, no, I needn't trouble you to have it posted: I prefer
to leave it at Mr. Sylvester's chambers myself."

"He was a great friend of the late Mr. Rainham, as, of course, you
know," said the lawyer, as they parted at the door. "Mr. Rainham
introduced him to us when he was quite a young man--soon after he
was called, in fact, and we gave him his first brief--the first of a
good many! He's been one of our standing counsel for years.
Good-day!"

As he made his way towards the Temple, Oswyn smiled to himself
rather savagely, tasting in anticipation the sweets of long-deferred
revenge. The flame of his ancient discontent with