efore public notice, to herald the narrative of an
infamous fraud. I am far from suspecting or insinuating that you have
had any great part whatever in these transactions, but I know that
when once they have become town talk, Hyman Stocmar will figure as a
prominent name throughout. He will not appear as a murderer or a forger,
it is true, but he will stand forward the intimate friend of the worst
characters in the piece, and have always some small petty share of
complicity to answer for. Is it not worth while to escape such an open
exposure as this? What man--least of all, what man moving where you
do--could court such scandal?"

Stocmar made no answer, but, leaning his head on his hand, seemed lost
in thought.

"I can show you how to avoid it all. I will point ont the way to escape
from the whole difficulty."

"How do you mean?" cried Stocmar, suddenly.

"Leave the knaves and come over to the honest men; or desert the losing
side and back the winner, if you like that better. In plain English,
tell me all you know of this case, and of every one concerned in it.
Give me your honest version of the scheme,--how it has been done and
by whom. You know Trover and Hunt well; say what were their separate
shares. I will not betray your confidence; and if I can, I will reward
it."

"Let your son leave us. I will speak to you alone," said Stocmar, in a
faint whisper.

Alfred, at a signal from his father, stepped quietly away, and they were
alone.

It was late in the afternoon when the doctor arose to take his
departure, and, though somewhat wearied, his look was elated, and his
face glowed with an expression of haughty satisfaction, such as it might
have worn after a collegiate triumph years and years ago.

CHAPTER VI. MR. O'SHEA AT BADEN

Although Mr. O'Shea be not one of the most foreground figures in this
piece, we are obliged to follow his fortunes for a brief space, and at
a moment when our interests would more naturally call us in another
direction. Thus, at a dinner-party, will it occasionally happen that our
attention is engaged on one side, while our sympathies incline to the
other; so, in life, the self-same incident continues to occur. We have
said that he had many a sore misgiving about the enterprise he was
engaged in. He felt that he was walking completely in the dark, and
towards what he knew not. Mrs. Morris was, doubtless, a clever pilot,
but she _might_ mistake the course, she _might_ go wrong