"I shall never be at peace again in this world," groaned the sufferer. "But let the money go; I can sell another estate, though a third of all I had is gone already."
"The money is not gone, Mr. Gracewood. I am satisfied that Lynch is arrested by this time."
"So much the worse! I shall be exposed."
"Perhaps not. Let us look the matter over. Why did Lynch send for you to go up into his room?"
"He sent me a note by the young man who was with him. Here it is," he added, rising and taking a piece of paper from the table.
I took the paper, which contained a few lines, as follows: "I have seen the young fellow, Phil Farringford, who was with your brother. If you will come up to my room, I will tell you what he says."
"You seem to have known about me before," I added, when I had read the note.
"As I said, this Lynch took care of me when I was hurt. I did not intend that any one here should know my name, but I think he read it where the tailor had written it on the inside of my coat; at any rate, he called me by name. I think he must have seen me take the package of bank notes from my pocket and put it under the pillow, before the surgeon came. When the doctor left, and I was more comfortable, he told me that he had met my brother on board of a steamer up the Missouri, and said there was a boy with him whom he had since seen in the city. I was very anxious to know when my brother was coming, so that I might be prepared to see him.
"Lynch did not know where my brother was, and I asked him if he knew where to find you. He thought he should be able to see you, and to-night I was very glad to learn that he had succeeded, and I hastened up stairs to obtain the intelligence of the absent one."