child. Extremely modest, indeed! But how you should come to
be engaged in this vindictive plot, and how you, above all men living,
should have the assurance to thus insult me, is a mystery for the
present. Of course, you see, you are aware, that I treat every word
you have uttered with the utmost degree of contempt and scorn which the
language is capable of expressing. I neither know nor care who may have
prompted you, or misled you; be that, however, as it may, I have only
simply to state that, on this subject I defy them as thoroughly as I
despise you. On another subject, however, I experience toward you a
different, feeling, as I shall teach you to understand before you leave
the room."

"This being your reply, I must discharge my duty fully. Pray mark me,
now, Sir Thomas. Did you not give instructions to a certain man to take
your brother's child _out of your path--out of your sight--out of your
hearing?_ And, Sir Thomas, was not that man _very liberally rewarded_
for that act? I pray you, sir, to think seriously of this, as I need not
say that if you persist in rejecting our conditions, a serious matter
you will find it."

Another contemptuous inclination, and "you have my reply, sir," was all
the baronet could trust himself to say.

"I now come to a transaction of a more recent date, Sir Thomas."

"Ah!" said the baronet, "I thought I should have had the pleasure of
introducing the discussion of that transaction. You really are, however,
quite a universal genius--so clear and eloquent upon all topics, that I
suppose I may leave it in your hands."

"A young man, named Fenton, has suddenly disappeared from this
neighborhood."

"Indeed! Why, I must surely live at the antipodes, or in the moon, or I
could not plead such ignorance of those great events."

"You are aware, Sir Thomas, that the person passing under that name is
your brother's son--the legitimate heir to the title and property of
which you are in the unjust possession."

Another bow. "I thank you, sir. I really am deriving much information at
your hands."

"Now I demand, Sir Thomas Gourlay, in the name of his injured mother,
what you have done with that young man?"

"It would be useless to conceal it," replied the other. "As you seem
to know everything, of course you know that. To your own knowledge,
therefore, I beg most respectfully to refer you."

"I have only another observation to make, Sir Thomas Gourlay. You
remember last Tuesday night