"And you took him by surprise, did you not?"

"Quite by surprise."

"Humph! Made an appointment with you
for to-morrow?"

"Yes"

"Where?"

"At his office."

"What hour?"

"Twelve."

Mr. Greatorex struck the table sharply with
his open hand.

"Then he won't keep it!" exclaimed he.
"I'd stake my head that he won't keep it!"

Saxon, leaning his head moodily upon his
hands, was of the same opinion.

"Now, look here Trefalden," said the banker,
excitedly, "I have had my suspicions of your
cousin all along. You know that; but some
queer things have come to my ears of late. Do
you know where he lives?"

"No."

"I do. Do you know how he lives?"

"Not in the least."

"I do."

"How did you come by your knowledge?"

"By means of his own head clerk—a fat fellow
with a wheezy voice, and a face like an
over-boiled apple-pudding."

"I know the man—Mr. Keckwitch."

"The same. And now, if you will just listen
to me for five minutes, I'll tell you the whole
story from beginning to end."

And with this, Mr. Greatorex related all about
his interview with the lawyer, telling how
William Trefalden had faltered and changed colour
at the first mention of the new Company; how
speciously he had explained away Saxon's statement
regarding the investment; and how, at the
close of the interview, the banker found that he
had not really advanced one step towards the
corroboration of his doubts. About a week or
ten days, however, after this interview, Mr. Abel
Keckwitch presented himself in Lombard-street,
and, with an infinite deal of cautious circumlocution,
gave Laurence Greatorex to understand
that he would be willing to co-operate with him
to any safe extent, against William Trefalden.
Then came a string of strange disclosures.
Then, for the first time, the banker learned
the mystery of the lawyer's private life. A
long course of secret and profuse expenditure,
of debt, of pleasure, of reckless
self-indulgence, was laid open to his astonished
eyes. The history of the fair but frail Madame
Duvernay, and every detail of the ménage of
Elton House, down to the annual sum-total of
Mr. Trefalden's wine-bill and the salary of his
French cook, were unfolded with a degree of
method and precision eminently characteristic of
Mr. Keckwitch's peculiar talents. He had
devoted the leisure of the whole summer to this
delightful task, and had exhausted his ingenuity
in its accomplishment. He had learned everything
which it was possible for any man not
actually residing within the walls of Elton House
to know. He had followed Madame's elegant
little brougham to the Parks, listened to her
singing in the stillness of the summer evenings,
and watched his employer in and out of the
house, over and over again. He had ingratiated
himself with the Kensington tradespeople; he
had made acquaintance with the tax-collector;
he had even achieved a ponderous, respectable,
church-going flirtation with Madame's
housekeeper, who was a serious person, with an
account at the savings-bank. In short, when Mr.
Keckwitch brought his information to Lombard-
street, he knew quite enough to be a valuable
coadjutor, and Mr. Laurence Greatorex was only
too glad to grasp at the proffered alliance.

"And now, my dear boy," said the banker,
"the most important fact of all is just this—
William Trefalden is preparing to bolt. For the
last two days he has been posting up his accounts,
clearing out old papers, and the like. He tells
the people in Chancery-lane that he is going out
of town for a few weeks; but Keckwitch don't
believe it, and no more do I. He has his eye
upon the stars and stripes, as sure as your name
is Saxon Trefalden!"

On the 7th of December will be published THE EXTRA
CHRISTMAS DOUBLE NUMBER, entitled
DOCTOR MARIGOLD'S
PRESCRIPTIONS.
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VII. TO BE TAKEN AND TRIED.
VIII. TO BE TAKEN FOR LIFE.
Price Fourpence, stitched in a cover.

COMPLETION OF MR. CHARLES DICKENS'S NEW
WORK.
Now ready, in 2 vols., price 22s.,
OUR MUTUAL FRIEND.
With 40 Illustrations by MARCUS STONE
London: CHAPMAN and HALL, 193, Piccadilly.

Now ready, in 3 vols.,
HALF A MILLION OF MONEY.
By AMELIA B. EDWARDS, Author of "Barbara's History."
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