g was over, and Mr. Furnival returning to Hamworth wrote his
note to Mr. Joseph Mason.

Mr. Dockwrath had been interrupted by the messenger in the middle
of his threat, but he caught the name of Furnival as the note was
delivered. Then he watched Mr. Mason as he read it and read it again.

"If you please, sir, I was to wait for an answer," said the girl.

Mr. Mason did not know what answer it would behove him to give. He
felt that he was among Philistines while dealing with all these
lawyers, and yet he was at a loss in what way to reply to one without
leaning upon another. "Look at that," he said, sulkily handing the
note to Dockwrath.

"You must see Mr. Furnival, by all means," said Dockwrath. "But--"

"But what?"

"In your place I should not see him in the presence of Mr.
Round,--unless I was attended by an adviser on whom I could rely."
Mr. Mason, having given a few moments' consideration to the matter,
sat himself down and wrote a line to Mr. Furnival, saying that he
would be in Bedford Row at the appointed time.

"I think you are quite right," said Dockwrath.

"But I shall go alone," said Mr. Mason.

"Oh, very well; you will of course judge for yourself. I cannot say
what may be the nature of the communication to be made; but if it be
anything touching the property, you will no doubt jeopardise your own
interests by your imprudence."

"Good morning, Mr. Dockwrath," said Mr. Mason.

"Oh, very well. Good morning, sir. You shall hear from me very
shortly, Mr. Mason; and I must say that, considering everything, I
do not know that I ever came across a gentleman who behaved himself
worse in a peculiar position than you have done in yours." And so
they parted.

Punctually at eleven o'clock on the following day Mr. Mason was in
Bedford Row. "Mr. Furnival is with Mr. Round," said the clerk, "and
will see you in two minutes." Then he was shown into the dingy office
waiting-room, where he sat with his hat in his hand, for rather more
than two minutes.

At that moment Mr. Round was describing to Mr. Furnival the manner
in which he had been visited some weeks since by Sir Peregrine Orme.
"Of course, Mr. Furnival, I knew which way the wind blew when I heard
that."

"She must have told him everything."

"No doubt, no doubt. At any rate he knew it all."

"And what did you say to him?"

"I promised to hold my tongue;--and I kept my promise. Mat knows
nothing about it to this day."

The whole history thus b