eturned
Lawless; "got the whip hand of him there, and no mistake."

"You!" exclaimed Coleman, astonished.

"Eh, yes! I, my own self--the Honourable George Lawless at your service,
age five and twenty--height five feet nine--rides under ten stone--sound
wind and limb--five thousand per annum, clear income and a peerage in
perspective--ain't that better than a drysalter, eh?"

"Why, Lawless, you are gone stark staring mad," interrupted I; "what on
earth has all that got to do with Freddy and his cousin?"

"Don't stop him," cried Coleman, "I begin to see what he is aiming at."

"Eh! of course you do, Freddy, boy," continued Lawless; "and it's
not such a bad dodge either, is it? Your governor lays down the broad
principle that the highest bidder shall be the purchaser, and on this
ground backs the drysalter; now if I drive over this morning, propose
in due form for your cousin's hand, and outbid the aforesaid drysalting
individual, the governor must either sacrifice his consistency, or
accept my offer."

"Well, and suppose he does, what good have you done then?" asked I.

"Eh, good?" returned Lawless, "every good to be sure; and first and
foremost knocked over the drysalter--if I'm accepted, he must be
rejected, that's a self-evident fact. Well, once get rid of him, and
it's all plain sailing--I find a hundred reasons for delaying to fulfil
my engagement; in a month's time I come into my property (the jolly old
aunt who left it me tied it up till I was five and twenty--and the old
girl showed her sense too, for ten to one I should have made ducks and
drakes of it when I was young and foolish); very well--I appoint Freddy
agent and receiver of the rents--(the fellow that has it now makes five
hundred a year of it, they tell me); and then suddenly change my mind,
jilt Miss Markham, and if Governor Coleman chooses to cut up rough,
he may bring an action of 'breach of promise,' lay the damages at five
thousand, and so get a nice little round sum to buy ~427~~ the young
woman's wedding clothes when she marries Freddy. That's the way to do
business, isn't it, eh?"

"'Pon my word it's a grand idea," said Coleman; "how came you ever to
think of it? But, my dear Lawless, are you really in earnest about the
receivership?"

"In earnest? to be sure I am; I always intended it."

"I'm sure I'm very much obliged to you," replied Freddy, in a tone of
grateful surprise; "it's the kindest thing in the world; but about the
first p