ther a bore though; there was
my father's cheque for three hundred pounds in it; I suppose something
ought to be done about it directly."

"Write a note to stop the payment; and--let me see--as it is too late
for the post now, if you will make a parcel of it, I'll run down and
give it to the guard of the mail, begging him to deliver it himself as
soon as he gets to town--the cheque can't be presented till to-morrow
morning, so that will be all right."

"What a head you have for business, to be sure!" said Oaklands; "but why
should you have the trouble of taking it? I dare say Thomas will go with
it when we have done dinner, or I can take it myself."

"Nay," replied Cumberland, "as I have contrived to lose your letter, the
least I can do is to take the parcel; besides, I should like to speak to
the guard myself, so as to be sure there's no mistake."

While this was going on it may be imagined that my thoughts were not
idle. When Cumberland mentioned the loss of the letter my suspicions
that some nefarious scheme might be on foot began for the first time
to resolve themselves into a tangible form, but when I perceived his
anxiety to have the parcel entrusted to him, which was to prevent the
payment of the cheque, the whole scheme, or something nearly approaching
to it, flashed across me at once, and, without reflecting for a moment
on what might be the consequences of doing so, I said:--

"If Oaklands will take my advice, he will not entrust you with anything
else, till you can prove that you have really lost the letter, as you
say you have done".

Had a thunderbolt fallen in the midst of us, it could scarcely have
produced greater confusion than did this speech of mine. Oaklands sprang
upon his feet, regarding me with the greatest surprise as he asked "if
I knew what I was saying?" while Cumberland, in a voice hoarse from
passion, inquired, "What the devil I meant by my insolence? what did I
dare to insinuate he had done with the letter, if he had not lost it?"

~88~~"I insinuate nothing," was my reply; "but I tell you plainly that I
believe, and have good reason for believing, that you have not lost the
letter, but given it to your gambling friend and accomplice, Captain
Spicer, who, in return for it, is to give you a receipt in full for the
two hundred pounds you owe him, and fifty pounds down." On hearing this
Cumberland turned as pale as ashes, and leaned on the back of a chair
for support, while I continued,