The advent of Neeld produced more discussion. Yet Southend said nothing of the matter which he had brought to Lady Evenswood's attention. Discretion was necessary there. Besides he wished to know how the land lay as to Janie Iver. On that subject his friend preserved silence.
"And the whole thing was actually in old Joe's diary!" exclaimed Southend.
Neeld, always annoyed at the "Joe," admitted that the main facts had been recorded in Mr Cholderton's Journal, and that he himself had known them when
nobody else in England did—save, of course, the conspirators themselves.
"And you kept it dark? I didn't know you were as deep as that, Neeld." He looked at the old gentleman with great amazement.
"Neeld was in an exceedingly difficult position," said Iver. "I've come to see that." He paused, looking at Southend with an amused air. "You introduced us to one another," he reminded him with a smile.
"Bless my soul, so I did! I'd forgotten. Well, it seems my fate too to be mixed up in the affair." Just at present, however, he was assisting fate rather actively.
"It's everybody's. The Blent's on fire from Mingham to the sea."
"I've seen Harry Tristram."
"Ah, how is he?" asked Neeld.