ANON.
For some time the two noblemen sat in silence, but at length Sir
Thomas Stanley looked up and gave the baron some very pleasant news.
"You are safe," he said. "You need no longer fear this Nathan Grene, nor Sir Ronald Bury, nor anybody else for the matter of that; you are perfectly safe."
Sir George Vernon simply opened his eyes and his mouth wide in sheer surprise, and seeing that he made no attempt to speak, Sir Thomas proceeded.
"This is a letter from Grene's own counsel. It is of the utmost importance. Nathan Grene must have been here yesterday."
"What! at the inn here? This very inn?"
"Aye! and in this very room. Here is his signature, dated yesterday.
Maybe he is above even now."
"Like enough," said the baron fiercely, and he looked as if he would like to search each separate chamber in the house there and then.
"Listen," said Stanley, "this is what the lawyer says: 'I am doubtful if, after all, the prosecution will not fall through. The summons was issued by your direction against "The King of the Peak," whereas it ought to have read "Sir George Vernon." Warder, who, I hear, is the agent of the Vernon family, will surely recognise this, and if the baron refuses to answer the title contained in the summons, then our case will fall to the ground. We must hope for the best, as we can do no more. It is too late to rectify the error now.'"
"Here," said Sir Thomas, looking up, "the counsellor stops; but our friend Grene has added a few notes of his own, evidently directions to some of his friends."