“'His cousins!'
“'Yes, the Daltons—for they are such——deem this the fitting course, he is ready to adopt it. If they counsel differently, I can almost answer for his compliance.'
“'You can give me time to communicate with Dalton? He is at Vienna.'
“'Yes, if you agree with me in this view of the case, and think that such will be Dalton's opinion also; otherwise it will be difficult to secure this fellow's secrecy much longer. He knows that he is in possession of a deeply important fact; he feels the impunity of his own position; and to-morrow or next day he may threaten this, that, or other. In fact, he believes that Lady Hester Onslow herself has no title to the estate, if he were disposed to reveal all he knows.'
“'Can I see him?' asked Grounsell.
“' Of course you can; but it would be useless. He would affect an utter ignorance of everything, and deny all knowledge of what we have been talking.'
“'You will give me some hours to think over this?' asked he, after a pause.
“'I had rather that you could come to a quicker resolve,' said I; 'the fellow's manner is menacing and obtrusive. I have perhaps too long delayed this visit to you; and should he suspect that we are hesitating, he may go before a magistrate, and make his deposition before we are aware of it.'
“'You shall hear from me this evening, sir. Where shall I address my note?'
“'The Rev. Michel Cahill—the Inn, at Inistioge,' replied I. And so we parted.”