into families of rank--"

"Have I, sir, attempted to insinuate myself into yours," asked the
stranger, interrupting him.

"When such persons come under circumstances of strong suspicion,"
said the other, without replying to him, "it is the business of every
gentleman in the country to keep a vigilant eye upon them."

"I shall hold myself accountable to no such gentleman," replied the
stranger; "but will consider every man, no matter what his rank or
character may be, as unwarrantably impertinent, who arrogantly attempts
to intrude himself in affairs that don't--" he was about to add, "that
don't concern him," when he paused, and added, "into any man's affairs.
Every man has a right to travel incognito, and to live incognito, if he
chooses; and, on that account, sir, so long as I wish to maintain mine,
I shall allow no man to assume the right of penetrating it. If this has
been the object of your visit, you will much oblige me by relinquishing
the one, and putting an end to the other, as soon as may be."

"As a magistrate, sir, I demand to know your name," said the baronet,
who thought that, in the stranger's momentary hesitation, he had
observed symptoms of yielding.

"As an independent man, sir, and a gentleman, I shall not answer such a
question."

"You brave me, sir--you defy me." continued the other, his face still
pale, but baleful in its expression.

"Yes, sir," replied the other, "I brave you--I defy you."

"Very well, sir," returned the baronet--"remember these words."

"I am not in the habit of forgetting anything that a man of spirit
ought to remember," said the other--"I have the honor of wishing you a
good-morning."

The baronet withdrew in a passion that had risen to red heat, and was
proceeding to mount his horse at the door, when Counsellor Crackenfudge,
who had followed him downstairs, thus addressed him:

"I beg your pardon, Sir Thomas; I happened to be sitting in the
back-room while you were speaking to that strange fellow above; I pledge
you my honor I did not listen; but I could not help overhearing, you
know--well, Sir Thomas, I can tell you something about him."

"How!" said the baronet, whose eye I gleamed with delight--"Can you, in
truth, tell me anything about him, Mr. Crackenfudge? You will oblige me
very much if you do."

"I will tell you all I know about him, Sir Thomas," replied the worthy
counsellor; "and that is, that I know he has paid many secret visits to
Mr. Birney the