l insist upon an assignment of the
whole Irish property in his favor."

"Two thousand a year, landed property!" exclaimed Grog.

"Two thousand eight hundred, and well paid," said Hankes, coolly; "but
that is not all."

"Not all! what do you mean?"

"Why, there's another hitch. But what am I saying?" cried he, in terror.
"I don't believe that I'd speak of these things on my death-bed."

"Be frank and open with me, Simeon. I am a true pal to the man that
trusts me, and the very devil to him that plays me false."

"I know it," said the other, gloomily.

"Well, now for that other hitch, as you called it What is it?"

"It's about an estate that was sold under the 'Encumbered Court,' and
bought by the late Lord Lackington--at least in his name--and then
resold at a profit--" Here he stopped, and seemed as though he had
already gone too far.

"I understand," broke in Grog; "the purchase-money was never placed to
the Viscount's credit, and your friend Dunn wants an acquittance in full
of the claim."

"You've hit it!"

"What's the figure,--how much?"

"Thirty-seven thousand six hundred pounds."

"He 's no retail-dealer, this same Davenport Dunn," said Grog, with a
grin; "that much I _will_ say of him."

"He has a wonderful head," said Hankes, admiringly.

"I 'll agree with you, if it save his neck!" said Davis-, and then
added, after a moment, "He's bringing up all these documents and papers
with him, you said?"

"Yes; he intends to make some settlement or other of the matter before
he marries. After that he bids farewell to business forever."

"He'll go abroad, I suppose?" said Davis, not attaching any strong
signification to his remark; but suddenly perceiving an expression of
anxiety in Hankes's face, he said, "Mayhap it were all as well; he'd be
out of the way for a year or so!"

The other nodded an assent.

"He has 'realized' largely, I take it?"

Another nod.

"Foreign funds and railways, eh?"

"Not railways,--no, scrip!" said Hankes, curtly.

"Won't there be a Jolly smash!" said Davis, with a bitter laugh. "I take
it there's not been any one has 'done the trick' these fifty years like
this fellow."

"I suspect you 're right there," murmured Hankes.

"I have never seen him but once, and then only for a few minutes, but
I read him like a printed book. He had put on the grand integrity and
British-mercantile-honesty frown to scowl me down, to remind Davis, 'the
leg,' that he was in the prese