e little beast means cold-drawn biz," returned my friend. "Well,
he'll have to have a lesson. Wait till I see Longhurst.--Three hundred,"
he added aloud.

"And fifty," came the echo.

It was about this moment when my eye fell again on Captain Trent. A
deeper shade had mounted to his crimson face; the new coat was
unbuttoned and all flying open, the new silk handkerchief in busy
requisition; and the man's eye, of a clear sailor blue, shone glassy
with excitement. He was anxious still, but now (if I could read a face)
there was hope in his anxiety.

"Jim," I whispered, "look at Trent. Bet you what you please he was
expecting this."

"Yes," was the reply, "there's some blame' thing going on here"; and he
renewed his bid.

The figure had run up into the neighbourhood of a thousand when I was
aware of a sensation in the faces opposite, and, looking over my
shoulder, saw a very large, bland, handsome man come strolling forth
and make a little signal to the auctioneer.

"One word, Mr. Borden," said he; and then to Jim, "Well, Pink, where are
we up to now?"

Pinkerton gave him the figure. "I ran up to that on my own
responsibility, Mr. Longhurst," he added, with a flush. "I thought it
the square thing."

"And so it was," said Mr. Longhurst, patting him kindly on the shoulder,
like a gratified uncle. "Well, you can drop out now; we take hold
ourselves. You can run it up to five thousand; and if he likes to go
beyond that, he's welcome to the bargain."

"By-the-bye, who is he?" asked Pinkerton. "He looks away down."

"I've sent Billy to find out"; and at the very moment Mr. Longhurst
received from the hands of one of the expensive young gentlemen a folded
paper. It was passed round from one to another till it came to me, and I
read: "Harry D. Bellairs, Attorney-at-Law; defended Clara Varden: twice
nearly disbarred."

"Well, that gets me!" observed Mr. Longhurst. "Who can have put up a
shyster[3] like that? Nobody with money, that's a sure thing. Suppose
you tried a big bluff? I think I would, Pink. Well, ta-ta! Your partner,
Mr. Dodd? Happy to have the pleasure of your acquaintance, sir"; and the
great man withdrew.

"Well, what do you think of Douglas B.?" whispered Pinkerton, looking
reverently after him as he departed. "Six foot of perfect gentleman and
culture to his boots."

During this interview the auctioneer had stood transparently
arrested--the auctioneer, the spectators, and even Bellairs, all well
aw