handing to Merton a letter in an
opened envelope. Logan's hand trembled.

'Typewritten address, London postmark,' said Merton. 'To Robert Logan,
Esq., at Kirkburn Keep, Drem, Scotland.'

Merton read the letter aloud; there was no date of place, but there were
the words:

'March 6, 2.45 P.M.
'SIR,--Perhaps I ought to say my Lord--'

'What a fool the fellow is,' said Merton.

'Why?'

'Shows he is an educated man.'

'You may obtain news as to the mortal remains of your kinsman, the
late Marquis of Restalrig, and as to his Will, by walking in the
Burlington Arcade on March 11, between the hours of three and half-
past three p.m. You must be attired in full mourning costume,
carrying a glove in your left hand, and a black cane, with a silver
top, in your right. A lady will drop her purse beside you. You will
accost her.'

Here the letter, which was typewritten, ended.

'You won't?' said Merton. 'Never meet a black-mailer halfway.'

'I wouldn't,' said Logan. 'But look here!'

He gave Merton another letter, in outward respect exactly similar to the
first, except that the figure 2 was typewritten in the left corner. The
letter ran thus:

'March 6, 4.25 p.m.

'SIR,--I regret to have to trouble you with a second communication,
but my former letter was posted before a change occurred in the
circumstances. You will be pleased to hear that I have no longer the
affliction of speaking of your noble kinsman as "_the late_ Marquis of
Restalrig."'

'Oh my prophetic soul!' said Merton, 'I guessed at first that he was not
dead after all! Only catalepsy.' He went on reading: 'His Lordship
recovered consciousness in circumstances which I shall not pain you by
describing. He is now doing as well as can be expected, and may have
several years of useful life before him. I need not point out to you
that the conditions of the negotiation are now greatly altered. On the
one hand, my partners and myself may seem to occupy the position of
players who work a double ruff at whist. We are open to the marquis's
offers for release, and to yours for his eternal absence from the scene
of life and enjoyment. But it is by no means impossible that you may
have scruples about outbidding your kinsman, especially as, if you did,
you would, by the very fact, become subject to perpetual "black-mailing"
at our hands. I speak plainly, as one man of the world to another. It
is also a