background, and did his spiriting gently. But Tom Wealdon, it was
known--as things _are_ known without evidence--was at the bottom of all
the clever dodges, and long-headed manoeuvres. When, therefore, Mr.
Larkin heard from the portly and veracious Mr. Larcom, who was on very
happy relations with the proprietor of the Lodge, that Tom Wealdon had
been twice quietly to Brandon to lunch, and had talked an hour alone with
the captain in the library each time; and that they seemed very 'hernest
like, and stopped of talking directly he (Mr. Larcom) entered the room
with the post-bag'--the attorney knew very well what was in the wind.

Now, it was not quite clear what was right--by which the good attorney
meant prudent--under the circumstances. He was in confidential--which
meant lucrative--relations with Mark Wylder. Ditto, ditto with Captain
Lake, of Brandon. He did not wish to lose either. Was it possible to hold
to both, or must he cleave only to one and despise the other?

Wylder might return any day, and Tom Wealdon would probably be one of the
first men whom he would see. He must 'hang out the signal' in
'Galignani.' Lake could never suspect its meaning, even were he to see
it. There was but one risk in it, which was in the coarse perfidy of Mark
Welder himself, who would desire no better fun, in some of his moods,
than boasting to Lake of the whole arrangement in Jos. Larkin's presence.

However, on the whole, it was best to obey Mark Wylder's orders, and
accordingly 'Galignani' said: '_Mr. Smith will take notice that the other
party is desirous to purchase, and becoming very pressing._'

In the meantime Lake was pushing his popularity among the gentry with
remarkable industry, and with tolerable success. Wealdon's two little
visits explained perfectly the active urbanities of Captain Stanley Lake.