, Mr. Slide. Pountney found it
out. You know the Major?"

"Yes, I know Major Pountney. He was at Gatherum 'imself, and got a
little bit of cold shoulder;--didn't he?"

"I dare say he did. What has that to do with it? You may be sure that
Lopez applied to the Duke for his expenses at Silverbridge, and that
the Duke sent him the money."

"There's no doubt about it, Mr. Slide," said Mrs. Leslie. "We got it
all from Major Pountney. There was some bet between him and Pountney,
and he had to show Pountney the cheque."

"Pountney saw the money," said Lady Eustace.

Mr. Slide stroked his hand over his mouth and chin as he sat thinking
of the tremendous national importance of this communication. The man
who had paid the money was the Prime Minister of England,--and was,
moreover, Mr. Slide's enemy! "When the right 'and of fellowship has
been rejected, I never forgive," Mr. Slide has been heard to say.
Even Lady Eustace, who was not particular as to the appearance of
people, remarked afterwards to her friend that Mr. Slide had looked
like the devil as he was stroking his face. "It's very remarkable,"
said Mr. Slide; "very remarkable!"

"You won't tell the Major that we told you," said her Ladyship.

"Oh dear, no. I only just wanted to 'ear how it was. And as to
embarking your money, my lady, with Ferdinand Lopez,--I wouldn't do
it."

"Not if I get the bills of sale? It's for rum, and they say rum will
go up to any price."

"Don't, Lady Eustace. I can't say any more,--but don't. I never
mention names. But don't."

Then Mr. Slide went at once in search of Major Pountney, and having
found the Major at his club extracted from him all that he knew about
the Silverbridge payment. Pountney had really seen the Duke's cheque
for L500. "There was some bet,--eh, Major?" asked Mr. Slide.

"No, there wasn't. I know who has been telling you. That's Lizzie
Eustace, and just like her mischief. The way of it was this;--Lopez,
who was very angry, had boasted that he would bring the Duke down on
his marrow-bones. I was laughing at him as we sat at dinner one day
afterwards, and he took out the cheque and showed it me. There was
the Duke's own signature for L500,--'Omnium,' as plain as letters
could make it." Armed with this full information, Mr. Slide felt that
he had done all that the most punctilious devotion to accuracy could
demand of him, and immediately shut himself up in his cage at the
"People's Banner" office and went to wor