It was now my turn. "Come, come," I said, "it is useless urging this
man further. How much do you expect? The insolent proposal contained
in your note is, you well know, out of the question. How much _money_
do you expect for keeping this wretched affair secret? State your
terms at once."

"A thousand per annum," was the reply, "and the first year down."

"Modest, upon my word! But I suppose we must comply." I wrote out an
agreement. "Will you sign this?"

He ran it over. "Yes; Lady Seyton, as she calls herself, will take care
it never sees the light."

I withdrew, and in two or three minutes returned with a check. "Her
ladyship has no present cash at the bankers," I said, "and is obliged to
post-date this check twelve days."

The rascal grumbled a good deal; but as there was no help for it, he took
the security, signed the agreement, and walked off.

"A sweet nut that for the devil to crack," observed Mr. Flint, looking
savagely after him. "I am in hopes we shall trounce him yet, bravely as
he carries it. The check of course is not payable to order or bearer"

"Certainly not; and before twelve days are past, you will have returned
from Ireland. The agreement may be, I thought, of use with Cunningham or
Mullins. If they have been conspiring together, they will scarcely admire
the light in which you can place the arrangement, as affording proof that
he means to keep the lion's share of the reward to himself."

"Exactly. At all events we shall get at the truth, whatever it be."

The same evening Mr. Flint started for Dublin _via_ Holyhead.

I received in due course a letter from him dated the day after his
arrival there. It was anything but a satisfactory one. The date on the
grave-stone had been truly represented, and Mullins who erected it was a
highly respectable man. Flint had also seen the grave-digger, but could
make nothing out of him. There was no regular register of deaths kept in
Swords except that belonging to Cunningham; and the minister who buried
Gosford, and who lived at that time in Dublin, had been dead some time.
This was disheartening and melancholy enough; and, as if to give our
unfortunate client the _coup-de-grace_, Mr. Jackson, junior, marched into
the office just after I had read it, to say that, having been referred by
Lady Seyton to us for explanations, with respect to a statement made by a
Mr. Edward Chilton to the Honorable James Kingston, for whom they, the
Messrs. Jackson, were now