him, I'll make him eat that paper on his knees, and place my heel upon
his neck.'

The peroration of this peculiar invective was emphasised by an oath, at
which the half-dozen short grizzled hairs that surmounted the top of Mr.
Jos. Larkin's shining bald head no doubt stood up in silent appeal.

The attorney was standing during this sample of Lake's parliamentary
rhetoric a little flushed, for he did not know the moment when a blue
flicker from the rhetorical thunder-storm might splinter his own bald
head, and for ever end his connection with Brandon.

There was a silence, during which pale Captain Lake locked up Mark
Wylder's warning, and the attorney twice cleared his voice.

'I need hardly say, Captain Lake, how I feel in this business. I----'

'Quite so,' said the captain, in his soft low tones. 'I assure you I
altogether acquit you of sympathy with any thing so utterly ruffianly,'
and he took the hand of the relieved attorney with a friendly
condescension. 'The only compensation I exact for your involuntary part
in the matter is that you distinctly convey the tenor of my language to
Mr. Wylder, on the first occasion on which he affords you an opportunity
of communicating with him. And as to my ever again acting as his
trustee;--though, yes, I forgot'--he made a sudden pause, and was lost
for a minute in annoyed reflection--'yes, I must for a while. It can't
last very long; he _must_ return soon, and I can't well refuse to act
until at least some other arrangement is made. There are quite other
persons and I can't allow them to starve.'