itation as to how he should put the question which he
meditated, he said, "Of course, Tom, I suppose you have not told any of
the fellows here what you came over for?"

The ruffian knew him better than he thought, and understood his object
at once.

"No, no, John," he said, "I have'nt peached, and shall not; be you sure
of that. If I am to die, I'll die game, depend upon it; but I do think
there's a chance now, and we may as well make the best of it."

"To be sure--to be sure," answered the more prudent Shanks; "you don't
think, Mr. Ayliffe, that he would be fool enough to go and cut his own
throat by telling any one what would be sure to hang him. That is a very
green notion."

"Oh, no, nor would I say a word that could serve that Sir Philip
Hastings," said Tom Cutter; "he's been my enemy for the last ten years,
and I could see he would be as glad to twist my neck as I have been to
twist his hares. Perhaps I may live to pay him yet."

"I'm not sure you might not give him a gentle rub in your defence," said
John Ayliffe; "he would not like to hear that his pretty proud daughter
Emily came down to see me, as I'm sure she did, let her say what she
will, when I was ill at the cottage by the park gates. You were in the
house, don't you recollect, getting a jug of beer, while I was sitting
at the door when she came down?"

"I remember, I remember," replied Tom Cutter, with a malicious smile; "I
gave him one rub which he didn't like when he committed me, and I'll do
this too."

"Take care," said Mr. Shanks, "you had better not mix up other things
with your defence."

"Oh, I can do it quite easily," replied the other with a triumphant
look; "I could tell what happened then, and how I heard there that
people suspected me of poaching still, though I had quite given it up,
and how I determined to find out from that minute who it was accused
me."

"That can do no harm," said Shanks, who had not the least objection to
see Sir Philip Hastings mortified; and after about half an hour's
farther conversation, having supplied Tom Cutter with a small sum of
money, the lawyer and his young companion prepared to withdraw. Shanks
whistled through the key-hole of the door, producing a shrill loud sound
as if he were blowing over the top of a key; and Dionysius Cram
understanding the signal, hastened to let them out.

Before we proceed farther, however, with any other personage, we may as
well trace the fate of Mr. Thomas Cutter.