“I am glad to meet you,” said the earl, offering his hand, “Pray be seated, Jamblin.”
The farmer obeyed. His visitor proceeded—
“I have deemed it a matter on duty to wait upon you for the purpose of offering what poor consolation I can in the hour of your affliction,” said the earl, in his usual measured accents. “You have sustained a loss, Mr. Jamblin, which we all of us know to be irreparable, and no one is more sensibly impressed with this painful fact than myself; but you must strive, my worthy friend, to bear up against this severe trial as best you can.”
“Ah, my lord, I ha’ striven, and be a-strivin’ now,” exclaimed Jamblin, in broken accents, “but it ha’ bin a sore trial—a terrible trial, and that be the truth. Mek the best on it I’ll try.”
“We’ve all our trials and troubles in this world, Jamblin. Up to the present time the police have been unsuccessful in their search for the man who committed this atrocious crime. I have offered a reward, as you doubtless know, but it has not been attended with any satisfactory result at present.”
“It’s very kind of your lordship to take such an interest in this matter, an’ I hardly know how to sufficiently thank ’ee.”
“There is no need for thanks, but I’ve been thinking that it would be as well to have recourse to other means to trace out the scoundrel who has imbrued his hand with the blood of an honourable young man.”
“Other means?” repeated the farmer, not knowing very well what his visitor was driving at.
“Yes, if it meet with your approval. I dare say you heard that I had occasion to employ an experienced and intelligent detective in a matter of business which was both difficult and intricate—but he succeeded; and for this reason I have the greatest confidence in his discretion and ability. I will, if you have no objection, enlist his services in this matter, which concerns both of us, but you in particular. The gentleman’s name is Wrench.”
“I’ve heard on him. Yes, a very sharp, clever fellow, I’ve bin told.”