"I did have a little headache this morning. I think it was the cigars."

"Very like,--and the stuff as washed 'em down. You haven't got any more
of the same, have you?"

"I'm uncommonly sorry," said the sick man, rising up on his elbow, "but
I'm afraid there is not. To tell the truth, I had the deuce of a job to
get this from the old woman."

"It don't matter," said the impassive Mr. Juniper, "only I have been
down among the 'orses at the yard till my throat is full of dust. So
your lady has been and seen her brother?"

"Yes; she's done that."

"Well?"

"He ain't altogether a bad un--isn't old Grey. Of course he's an
attorney."

"I never think much of them chaps."

"There's good and bad, Juniper. No doubt my brother-in-law has made a
little money."

"A pot of it,--if all they say's true."

"But all they say isn't true. All they say never is true."

"I suppose he's got something?"

"Yes, he's got something."

"And how is it to be?"

"He's given the girl four hundred pounds on the nail,"--upon this Mr.
Juniper turned up his nose,--"and fifty pounds for her wedding-clothes."

"He'd better let me have that."

"Girls think so much of it,"--Mr. Juniper only shook his head,--"and, upon
my word, it's more than she had a right to expect."

"It ain't what she had a right to expect; but I,"--here Mr. Carroll shook
his head,--"I said five hundred pounds out, and I means to hold by it.
That's about it. If he wants to get the girl married, why--he must open
his pocket. It isn't very much that I'm asking. I'm that sort of a
fellow that, if I didn't want it, I'd take her without a shilling."

"But you are that sort of fellow that always does want it."

"I wants it now. It's better to speak out, ain't it? I must have the five
hundred pounds before I put my neck into the noose, and there must be no
paring off for petticoats and pelisses."

"And Mr. Grey says that he must make inquiries into character," said
Carroll.

"Into what?"

"Into character. He isn't going to give his money without knowing
something about the man."

"I'm all straight at Newmarket. I ain't going to stand any inquiries
into me, you know. I can stand inquiries better than some people. He's
got a partner named Barry, ain't he?"

"There is such a gentleman. I don't know much about the business ways of
my respected brother-in-law. Mr. Barry is, I believe, a good sort of a
man."

"It's he as is acting for Captain Scarborough."

"Is it