'Of course I wish you to conduct it,' said Mr. Mason, who, with all his bitterness against the present holders of Orley Farm, was afraid of throwing himself into the hands of Dockwrath. He was not an ignorant man, and he knew that the firm of Round and Crook bore a high reputation before the world.
'Then,' said Round, 'I must do my business in accordance with my own views of what is right. I have reason to believe that no one has yet tampered with this woman,' and as he spoke he looked hard at Dockwrath, 'though probably attempts may have been made.'
'I don't know who should tamper with her,' said Dockwrath, 'unless it be Lady Mason—whom I must say you seem very anxious to protect.'
'Another word like that, sir, and I shall be compelled to ask you to leave the house. I believe that this woman has been tampered with by no one. I will now learn from her what is her remembrance of the circumstances as they occurred twenty years since, and I will then read to you her deposition. I shall be sorry, gentlemen, to keep you here, perhaps for an hour or so, but you will find the morning papers on the table.' And then Mr. Round, gathering up certain documents, passed into the outer office, and Mr. Mason and Mr. Dockwrath were left alone.
'He is determined to get that woman off,' said Mr. Dockwrath, in a whisper.
'I believe him to be an honest man,' said Mr. Mason, with some sternness.
'Honesty, sir! It is hard to say what is honesty and what is dishonesty. Would you believe it, Mr. Mason, only last night I had a thousand pounds offered me to hold my tongue about this affair?'
Mr. Mason at the moment did not believe this, but he merely looked hard into his companion's face, and said nothing.
'By the heavens above us what I tell you is true! a thousand pounds, Mr. Mason! Only think how they are going it to get this thing stifled. And where should the offer come from but from those who know I have the power?'
'Do you mean to say that the offer came from this firm?'
'Hush—sh, Mr. Mason. The very walls hear and talk in such a place as this. I'm not to know who made the offer, and I don't know. But a man can give a very good guess sometimes. The party who was speaking to me is up to the whole transaction, and knows exactly what is going on here—here, in this house. He let it all out, using pretty nigh the same words as Round used just now. He was full about the doubt that Round and Crook felt—that they'd never pull it through. I'll tell you what it is, Mr. Mason, they don't mean to pull it through.'
'What answer did you make to the man?'
'What answer! why I just put my thumb this way over my
