Part 84 (2/2)

”He hasn't a great chance anyway, but if there's no defence, it's all up with him.”

”I'll think of that.”

”Then there's myself,” said O'Rorke, drawing his figure up to his full height, as though the subject was one that entailed no painful modesty.

”What about _me?_”

”I have thought of that already. Put that in your pocket, for the present”--and he pressed a note into his hand--”and when to-morrow comes you shall name your own conditions. Only stand by me to the end--mind that.”

O'Rorke opened the bank-note leisurely, and muttered the word ”Twenty;”

and certainly nothing in the accent showed enthusiastic grat.i.tude.

”I can give you an order on my banker to-morrow,” said Ladarelle, hurriedly, ”but I am rather low in cash here, just now; and I repeat it--your own terms, O'Rorke, your own terms.”

”I suppose so,” was the dry rejoinder.

”It's not everybody would make you the same proposal.”

”It's not everybody has so much need of me as you have.”

Ladarelle tried to laugh as he wished him good night, but the attempt was a poor one, and all he could say, as they parted, was:

”Wrexham--the Boar's Head--the inn on the left hand as you enter the town. I'll be on the look-out for you myself.”

O'Rorke nodded and withdrew.

”Vulgar scoundrel! I wish I had never spoken to him!” said Ladarelle, as soon as the door closed. ”This is all Grenfell's doing; he has just shoved me into the hands of a fellow that will only serve me till he finds a higher bidder. What a fool I have been to open myself to him; and he sees it well! And as for the ready-wittedness and expediency, I wonder where they are! Why, the rascal had not a single suggestion to offer; he kept on harping about the difficulties, and never a word did he drop as to how to meet them.”

And, with a hearty malediction on him, Ladarelle concluded his meditation, and went off to sleep.

CHAPTER LI. THE BOAR'S HEAD

Ladarelle stood at a window of the Boar's Head which commanded a view of the road into the town, and waited, watch in hand, for O'Rorke's coming.

The morning pa.s.sed, and noon, and it was late in the day when a wearied horse, over-driven and steaming, drew up at the door, and the long looked-for traveller alighted.

Though burning with impatience to learn his news, Ladarelle saw the necessity of concealing his anxiety, and, opening his writing-desk, he affected to be deeply engaged writing when, conducted by a waiter, O'Rorke appeared.

A single glance as he pa.s.sed the threshold told Ladarelle that his tidings were important. Already the fellow's swagger declared it, and in the easy confidence with which he sat down, and in the careless way he rather threw than laid his hat on the table, might be seen that he felt himself ”master of the situation.”

”You are later than I expected,” said Ladarelle, carelessly.

”I didn't leave the place till after twelve. He made me go over the gardens and the forcing-houses, and after that the stables, till at one time I thought I'd not get away till to-morrow.”

”And what do you think of it all?”

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