more to do with Mr. Stringer, the landlord. Mr
Stringer, the landlord, knew nothing about Mr. Soames's cheque.
"What's the name of your clerk?" said he.

"The name of my clerk?" said Mr. Stringer. "Why do you want to know
the name of my clerk?"

"Does he ever pay your rent for you?"

"Well, yes; he does, at times. He pays it into the bank for the
lady as owns this house. Is there any reason for your asking these
questions, sir. It isn't usual, you know, for a stranger, sir."

Toogood the whole of this time was standing with his eye upon the
red-nosed man, and the red-nosed man could not move. The red-nosed
man heard all the questions and the landlord's answers, and could
not even pretend that he did not hear them. "I am my cousin's clerk,"
said he, putting on his hat, and coming up to Mr. Toogood with a
swagger. "My name is Dan Stringer, and I'm Mr. John Stringer's cousin.
I've lived with Mr. John Stringer for twelve year and more, and I'm
a'most as well known in Barchester as himself. Have you anything to
say to me, sir?"

"Well, yes; I have," said Toogood.

"I believe you're the one of them attorneys from London?" said Mr. Dan
Stringer.

"That's true. I am an attorney from London."

"I hope there's nothing wrong?" said the gouty man, trying to get off
his chair, but not succeeding. "If there is anything wronger than
usual, Dan, do tell me. Is there anything wrong, sir?" and the
landlord appealed piteously to Mr. Toogood.

"Never you mind, John," said Dan. "You keep yourself quiet, and don't
answer none of his questions. He's one of them low sort, he is. I
know him. I knowed him for what he is directly I saw him. Ferreting
about,--that's his game; to see if there's anything to be got."

"But what is he ferreting here for?" said Mr. John Stringer.

"I'm ferreting for Mr. Soames's cheque for twenty pounds," said Mr
Toogood.

"That's the cheque that the parson stole," said Dan Stringer. "He's
to be tried for it at the 'sizes."

"You've heard about Mr. Soames and his cheque, and about Mr. Crawley, I
daresay?" said Mr. Toogood.

"I've heard a deal about them," said the landlord.

"And so, I daresay, have you?" said Toogood, turning to Dan Stringer.
But Dan Stringer did not seem inclined to carry on the conversation
any further. When he was hardly pressed, he declared that he just had
heard that there was some parson in trouble about a sum of money; but
that he knew no more about it than that. He didn't k