t_." That may
be possibly rendered, "_demands that might probably be reduced._" "_I leave
to-day, and shall be in England by middle of next week._--ATLEE."'

Walpole looked keenly at the other's face as he read the paper, to mark
what signs of interest and eagerness the tidings might evoke. There was,
however, nothing to be read in those cold and quiet features.

'I am glad he is coming back,' said he at length. 'Let us see: he can reach
Marseilles by Monday, or even Sunday night. I don't see why he should not
be here Wednesday, or Thursday at farthest. By the way, Cecil, tell me
something about our friend--who is he?'

[Illustration: Walpole looked keenly at the other's face as he read the
paper]

'Don't know, my lord.'

'Don't know! How came you acquainted with him?'

'Met him at a country-house, where I happened to break my arm, and took
advantage of this young fellow's skill in surgery to engage his services to
carry me to town. There's the whole of it.'

'Is he a surgeon?'

'No, my lord, any more than he is fifty other things, of which he has a
smattering.'

'Has he any means--any private fortune?'

'I suspect not.'

'Who and what are his family? Are there Atlees in Ireland?'

'There may be, my lord. There was an Atlee, a college porter, in Dublin;
but I heard our friend say that they were only distantly related.'

He could not help watching Lady Maude as he said this, and was rejoiced to
see a sudden twitch of her lower lip as if in pain.

'You evidently sent him over to me, then, on a very meagre knowledge of the
man,' said his lordship rebukingly.

'I believe, my lord, I said at the time that I had by me a clever fellow,
who wrote a good hand, could copy correctly, and was sufficient of a
gentleman in his manners to make intercourse with him easy, and not
disagreeable.'

'A very guarded recommendation,' said Lady Maude, with a smile.

'Was it not, Maude?' continued he, his eyes flashing with triumphant
insolence.

'_I_ found he could do more than copy a despatch--I found he could write
one. He replied to an article in the _Edinburgh_ on Turkey, and I saw him
write it as I did not know there was another man but myself in England
could have done.'

'Perhaps your lordship had talked over the subject in his presence, or with
him?'

'And if I had, sir? and if all his knowledge on a complex question was such
as he could carry away from a random conversation, what a gifted dog he
must be to s