“I hope to do good work with them, my dear Surry—and I think they are just in time.”

With which words Mohun put the paper in his pocket.

“You know the latest intelligence?” he said.

“Yes; but do not let us talk of it. Tell me something about yourself—but first listen to a little narrative from me.”

And I described the visit which I had made with Tom Herbert to the house near Buckland; the scene between Darke and his companion; and, to keep back nothing, repeated the substance of their conversation.

Mohun knit his brows; then burst into a laugh.

“Well!” he said, “so those two amiable characters are still bent on making mince-meat of me, are they? Did you ever hear any thing like it? They are perfect tigers, thirsting for blood!”

“Nothing more nor less,” I said; “the whole thing is like a romance.”

“Is it not?”

“A perfect labyrinth.”