280
WYLDER'S HAND.
passion, and I'm really placed in a most disagreeable po-
sition."
"Won't you sit down?"
"A — thanks — a — well I thought, on the whole,
having received the letter and the enclosure, which I
must say very much surprise me — very much indeed."
And Larkin looked reprovingly on an imaginary Mark
Wylder, and shook his head a good deal.
'' He has not appointed another man of business?"
"Oh, dear, no," said Larkin, quickly, with a faint, su-
percilious smile. "No, nothing of that kind. The thing —
in fact, there has been some gossipping fellow. Do you
happen to know a person at all versed in Gylingden mat-
ters — or, perhaps, a member of your club — named
Smith?"
l' Smith? I don't, I think, recollect any particular
Smith, just at this moment. And what is Smith doing or
saying?"
"Why, he has been talking over election matters. It
seems Wylder — Mr. Wylder — has met him in Geneva,
from whence he dates; and he says — he says — oh,
here's the letter, and you'll see it all there."
He handed it to Lake, and kept his eye on him while
he read it. When he saw that Lake, who bit his lip dur-
ing the perusal, had come to the end, by his glancing up
again at the date, Larkin murmured —
"Something, you see, has gone wrong with him. I
can't account for the temper otherwise — so violent."
'- Quite so," said Lake, quietly; "and where is the no-
tice he speaks of here?"
"Why, really, Captain Lake, I did not very well know,
it is such a production — I could not say whether you
would wish it presented; and in any case you will do me
the justice to understand that I, for my part — I really
don't know how to speak of it"