BY SHERIDAN LE FANU. Chapter XXIV.

Otago Witness, Issue 1033, 16 September 1871, Page 19

BY SHERIDAN LE FANU. Chapter XXIV.

MR. LONUULUSE FOLLOWS A SHADOW. The ex-delectivo cleared his voice, shook his head, and smirked. " A hinterview, gentlemen," said he, "is worth much in the hands of a persuasive party. I have hanged several obnoxious characters, and let others in for penal for life, by means of a hintorview. You remember Spikes, gentlemen, as got into difficulties for breaking Mr. Winterbotham's desk? Spikes would have frusterated justice, if it wasn't for me. It was done in one hinterview. Says I, ' Mr. Spikes, you have a wife and five children.'" The recollection of Mr. Paul Daviea' diplomacy was so gratifying to that smiling gentleman, that he could not forbear winking at his auditors as he proceeded. " ' And my belief is, Mr. Spikes, sir,' " he continued, " ' that it was all the hintluence of Tom Sprowles. It was Sprowles persuaded yer — it waa him as got the whole thing up. That's my belief ; and you did not want to do it, no-wise, and only consented to force the henges in the belief that Sprowles wanted to read the papers, and no more. I have a bad opinion of Sprowles,' says I, ' for deceiving you, I may say innocently ;' and talking this way, you conceive, I got it all out of him, and he's under penal for , life. Whenever you want to get round a man, and to turn him inside out, your way is to sympathise with him. If 1 had but a hinterview with that man, I know enough to draw it out of him, every bit. Ita all done by sympathising-." " But do you think you can discover the man ?" aßked Mr. Arden. "I'm sure to make him out, if you please, Bir ; I'll find out all about him. I'd a found out the facks long ago, but for the mistake, which it occurred most unlucky. I saw him twice siuce, and I know well where to look for him ; and I'll have it all right before long, I'm thinkin'." " That will do then, for the present," said Mr. Longcluse. " You have said all you have to say, and you see into what a curious mistake you have blundered ; but I shan't give you any trouble about it — it 5b too ridiculous. Good night, Mr] Davies." "No mistake of mine, sir, please. Misinformed, sir, you will kindly remark — misinformed, if you please — misinformed, as may occur to the sharpest party going. Good night, gentlemen ; I takes my leave without no unpleasant feeling and good wishes for your 'ealth and 'appiness, both, gentlemen." And blandly, and with a sly bleepy smile, this insinuating person withdrew. . "It is the reward he is thinking of," ! said Longcluse. ! "Yes, he won't spare himself; you mentioned that your own suspicions reBpecting him were but vague," said David Arden. "I merely stated what I saw to the eof oner, and it was answered that he was watching the Frenchman Lebas, because the detective police, before Paul Davies' dismissal, had received orders to keep an eye on all foreigners ; and he hoped to conciliate the authorities, and get a pension, by collecting and furnishing information. The police did not Beem to tliink his dogging and watching the unfortunate little fellow really meant more than this." " Very likely, it is a very odd affair. I wonder who that fellow iB whom ho described. He did not give a hint as to J the circumstances which excited his sub- j picionß." "It in strange. But that man, Paul Davies, kept hia eye upon Lebas from the motive I mentioned, and this circumstance may have led to his seeing more of the matter than, with the reward in his mind, he cares to make known at present. I think I did right in meeting him face to " Quite right, sir." " It has been always a rule with me to go straight at everything. 1 think the best diplomacy is directness, and that the truest caution lies in courage." " Precisely my opinion, Mr. Longcluse," said Uncle David, looking on him with eyeß of approbation. He waa near adding something hearty in the spirit of our ancestors' saying, " I hope you and I, air, may be better acquainted ;" but something in the look and peculiar face cf this unknown Mr. Longcluse chilled him, and he only said — "As you say, Mr. Longcluse, courage is safety, and honesty the best policy. Good night, sir." " A thousand thanks, Mr. Arden. l Might I ask one more favour, that you will endorse on each of these threatening letters a memorandum of the facts of this strange interview 1— I mean a sentence or two, which luay at any time confound

this fellow, should he turn out to be a villain." "Certainly," said Mr. Arden, thoughtfully, and he sat down again, and wrote a few lines on the back of each, which, having signed, he handed them to Mr. Longcluse, with the question, " Will that answer I" " Perfectly, thank you very much ; it is indeed impossible for me to thank you as I ought and wish to," said Mr. LongI cluse with elfusion, extending his hand ai the same time ; but Mr. Arden took it without much warmth, and said, in comparison a little drily — "No need to thank me, Mr. Longcluse ; as you said at first, there are motives quite sufficient, of a kind for which you can owe me, personally, no thanks whatever, to induce the very alight trouble of coming here." " Well, Mr. Arden, I am very much obliged to you, notwithstanding ;" and ao he gratefully saw him to the door, and smiled and bowed him off, and stood for a moment as his carri&ge whirled down the short street. " He does not like me — nor I, perhaps, him. Ha !ha ! ha !" he laughed, very softly and reservedly, looking down on the flags. " What an odd thing it is ! Thoße instincts and antipathies, they are very odd." All this, except the faint laughter, was in thought. It was just seven o'clock next evening when Mr. Longcluse descended at the steps of old Mortlake Hall. Sir Reginald, who is writhing under a letter from the attorney of the millionaire mortgagee of his Yorkshire estate, making an alternative offer, either to call in the principal sum or to allow it to stand out on larger interest, had begged of Mr. Longcluse, last night, to give him a few words of counsel some day. He had, in a quiet talk the evening before, taken the man of huge investments rather into his confidence. So Longcluse had promised his advice very gladly next day ; and how he asked for Sir Reginald. Sir Reginald was very particularly engaged at this moment on business ; Mr. Arden was with him at present ; but if Mr. Longcluse would wait for a few minutes, Sir Reginald would be most happy to see him. So there was to be a little wait. How could he better pass the interval than in Miss Arden's company 1