"Don't waste your breath! I've settled it; and if you don't tell me
where she lives, 't is easily found out, I suppose."

Randal mused a moment. "After all," thought he, "why not? He will be
sure so to speak as to enlist her pride against himself, and to irritate
Frank to the utmost. Let him go."

Accordingly he gave the information required; and, insisting with great
earnestness on the squire's promise not to mention to Madame di Negra his
knowledge of Frank's pecuniary aid (for that would betray Randal as the
informant); and satisfying himself as he best might with the squire's
prompt assurance, "that he knew how to settle matters, without saying why
or wherefore, as long as he opened his purse wide enough," he accompanied
Mr. Hazeldean back into the streets, and there left him,--fixing an hour
in the evening for an interview at Limmer's, and hinting that it would be
best to have that interview without the presence of the parson.

"Excellent good man," said Randal, "but not with sufficient knowledge of
the world for affairs of this kind, which you understand so well."

"I should think so," quoth the squire, who had quite recovered his good-
humour. "And the parson is as soft as buttermilk. We must be firm
here,--firm, sir." And the squire struck the end of his stick on the
pavement, nodded to Randal, and went on to May Fair as sturdily and as
confidently as if to purchase a prize cow at a cattle-show.




CHAPTER XII.