'And I think, Captain Lake, it behoves us to leave no stone unturned to
sift this matter to the bottom.'

'With what particular purpose, I don't quite see,' said Lake. 'Don't you
think possibly Mark Wylder might think us very impertinent?'

'I think, Captain Lake, on the contrary, we might be doing that gentleman
the only service he is capable of receiving, and I know we should be
doing something toward tracing and exposing the machinations of a
conspiracy.'

'A conspiracy! I did not quite see your meaning. Then, you really think
there is a conspiracy--formed _by_ him or _against_ him, which?'

'_Against_ him, Captain Lake. Did the same idea never strike you?'

'Not, I think, that I can recollect.'

'In none of your conversations upon the subject with--with members of
your family?' continued the attorney with a grave significance.

'I say, Sir, I don't recollect,' said Lake, glaring for an instant in his
face very savagely. 'And it seems to me, that sitting here, you fancy
yourself examining some vagrant or poacher at Gylingden sessions. And
pray, Sir, have you no evidence in the letters you speak of but the
insertion of dates, and the posting them in inverse order, to lead you to
that strong conclusion?'

'None, as supplied by the letters themselves,' answered Larkin, a little
doggedly, 'and I venture to think that is rather strong.'