plice peremptorily to
have nothing to do with the affair. It was his rule to abstain from all
transactions in which fierce passions were engaged. And the quarrels
between relations or connections were especially those which his
experience of human nature told him brought risk upon all intermeddlers.
But he saw that Jasper was desperate; that the rage of the bravo might
be easily turned on himself; and therefore, since it was no use to
argue, it would be discreet to dissimulate. Accordingly, when they
reached their inn, and were seated over their brandy-and-water, Cutts
resumed the conversation, appeared gradually to yield to Jasper's
reasonings, concerted with him the whole plan for the next night's
operations, and took care meanwhile to pass the brandy. The day had
scarcely broken before Cutts was off, with his bag of implements and
tracts. He would have fain carried off also both the horses; but the
ostler, surly at being knocked up at so early an hour, might not have
surrendered the one ridden by Jasper, without Jasper's own order to
do so. Cutts, however, bade the ostler be sure and tell the gentleman,
before going away, that he, Cutts, strongly advised him "to have nothing
to do with the bullocks."

Cutts, on arriving in London, went straight to Mrs. Crane's old lodging
opposite to Jasper's. But she had now removed to Podden Place, and left
no address. On reaching his own home, Cutts, however, found a note from
her, stating that she should be at her old lodging that evening, if
he would call at half-past nine o'clock; for, indeed, she had been
expecting Jasper's promised visit--had learned that he had left his
lodgings, and was naturally anxious to learn from Cutts what had become
of him. When Cutts called at the appointed hour and told his story,
Arabella Crane immediately recognised all the danger which her informant
had so prudently shunned. Nor was she comforted by Cutts's assurance
that Jasper, on finding himself deserted, would have no option but to
abandon, or at least postpone, an enterprise that, undertaken singly,
would be too rash even for his reckless temerity. As it had become the
object of her life to save Losely from justice, so she now shrunk from
denouncing to justice his meditated crime; and the idea of recurring to
Colonel Morley happily flashed upon her.

Having thus explained to the reader these antecedents in the narrative,
we return to Jasper. He did not rise till late at noon; and as he was