394
WYLDER'S HAJVD.
ested yourself a great deal about Mark Wylder's move-
ments."
"Not more than my duty clearly imposed."
"Yes; but notwithstanding it will operate, I'm afraid,
as you will presently see, rather to his prejudice. For to
prevent your conjectural interference from doing him a
more serious mischief, I will now, and here, if you please,
divulge the true and only cause of his absconding. It ia
fair to mention, however, that your knowing it will make
you fully as odious to him as I am — and that, I assure
you, is very odious indeed. There were four witnesses
beside myself—Lieutenant-Colonel Jermyn, Sir James
Carter, Lord George Vanbrugh, and Ned Clinton."
"Witnesses! Captain Lake. Do you allude to a
legal matter?" enquired Larkin, with his look of insin-
uating concern and enquiry.
"Quite the contrary — a very lawless matter, indeed.
These four gentlemen, beside myself, were present at the
occurrence. But perhaps you've heard of it?" said the
Captain, "though that's not likely."
"Not that I recollect, Captain Lake," answered Jos
Larkin.
"Well, it is not a thing you'd forget easily — and in-
deed it was a very well kept secret, as well as an ugly
one," and Lake smiled, in his sly quizzical way.
"And where, Captain Lake, did it occur, may I en-
quire?" said Larkin, with his charming insinuation.
"You may, and you shall hear — in fact, I'll tell you
the whole thing. It was at Gray's Club, in Pall Mall.
The whist party were old J ermyn, Carter, Vanbrugh, and
Wylder. Clinton and I were at piquet, and were disturb-
ed by a precious row the old boys kicked up. Jermyn
and Carter were charging Mark Wylder, in so many words,
with not playing fairly — there was an ace of hearts on