e look which Sir Thomas turned upon Crackenfudge made the cowardly
caitiff tremble.

"Harkee, Mr. Crackenfudge," said he; "did you hear the name of the
baronet, or of his daughter?"

"A' did not, Sir Thomas; the person that told me was ignorant of this
himself."

"May I ask who your informant was, Mr. Crackenfudge?"

"Why, Sir Thomas, a half mad fellow, named Fenton, who said that he saw
this vagabond at an establishment in England conducted by a brother of
this Grinwell's."

The baronet paused for a moment, but the expression which took
possession of his features was one of the most intense interest that
could be depicted on the human countenance; he fastened his eyes upon
Crackenfudge, as if he would have read the very soul within him, and by
an effort restrained himself so far as to say, with forced composure,
"Pray, Mr. Crackenfudge, what kind of a person is this Fenton, whom you
call half-mad, and from whom you had this information?"

Crackenfudge described Fenton, and informed Sir Thomas that in the
opinion of the people he was descended of a good family, though
neglected and unfortunate. "But," he added, "as to who he really is, or
of what family, no one can get out of him. He's close and cunning."

"Is he occasionally unsettled in his reason?" asked the baronet, with
assumed indifference.

"No doubt of it, Sir Thomas; he'll sometimes pass a whole week or
fortnight and never open his lips."

The baronet appeared to be divided between two states of feeling so
equally balanced as to leave him almost without the power of utterance.
He walked, he paused, he looked at Crackenfudge as if he would speak,
then resumed his step with a hasty and rapid stride that betokened the
depth of what he felt.

"Well, Crackenfudge," he said, "your intelligence, after all, is but mere
smoke. I thought the fellow in the inn was something beyond the rank of
clerk to a tooth-brush maker; he is not worth our talk, neither is that
madman Fenton. In the mean time, I am much obliged to you, and you may
calculate upon my services wherever they can be made available to your
interests. I would not now hurry you away nor request you to curtail
your visit, were it not that I expect Lord Cullamore here in about half
an hour, or perhaps less, and I wish to see Miss Gourlay previous to his
arrival."

"But you won't forget the magistracy, Sir Thomas? A'm dreaming of it
every night. A' think that a'm seated upon a bench with five or six