asked the blacksmith, pointing with his thumb towards the house.
"I can't rightly say," answered Jem. "I remember there was two or three rum coveys came down from Lunnun the night afore the Darby, and bilked the knowing ones—and this here mare was one on 'em. I worked at the Spread Eagle then, where they put up. There war a chap among 'em as went by the name o' Nosey, that I'd seen afore at Newmarket—my eyes! how he cleaned 'em out!"
Mr. Gaveston now came from the house accompanied by the landlord, and as they stood on the steps, the latter was heard to say—"No, no, Sir, depend on it nobody in this neighbourhood had any hand in it. I have lived here man and boy these forty years, and know every body high and low about the place, from his honour, Sir Thomas, down to black Cuddy, the born idiot. That letter may have been dropped into the office here, and as there was no postmark on it, I suppose it was. But you see, Sir, on a ball night there's a concourse of people about, gentry and servants; and nobody knows who's who, nor thinks of asking any questions. Depend on it, it's been some of them London chaps that have got hold of the lad, and
