'Thank you, sir,' said I, and curtsied very smartly as I had seen

the servants.

'Come,' said he, 'this is better than I had expected; and if you

choose to be dutiful in the station to which it has pleased God to

call you, you will find me a very kind old fellow. I like your

looks,' he added, calling me by my name, which he scandalously

mispronounced. 'Is your hair all your own?' he then inquired with

a certain sharpness, and coming up to me, as though I were a horse,

he grossly satisfied his doubts. I was all one flame from head to

foot, but I contained my righteous anger and submitted. 'That is

very well,' he continued, chucking me good humouredly under the

chin. 'You will have no cause to regret coming to old Caulder, eh?

But that is by the way. What is more to the point is this: your

late master was a most dishonest rogue, and levanted with some

valuable property that belonged of rights to me. Now, considering

your relation to him, I regard you as the likeliest person to know

what has become of it; and I warn you, before you answer, that my

whole future kindness will depend upon your honesty. I am an

honest man myself, and expect the same in my servants.'

'Do you mean the jewels?' said I, sinking my voice into a whisper.

'That is just precisely what I do,' said he, and chuckled.

'Hush!' said I.

'Hush?' he repeated. 'And why hush? I am on my own place, I would

have you to know, and surrounded by my own lawful servants.'

'Are the officers gone?' I asked; and oh! how my hopes hung upon

the answer!

'They are,' said he, looking somewhat disconcerted. 'Why do you

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